Amnesia: Felix
by OverlordOkami
Summary: Felix Harrington accidentally commits a crime and gets taken to Brennenburg Castle. After escaping his cell and losing his memory from an incident, he meets up with Isabelle and Daniel. The trio then begins their journey to the Inner Sanctum. Isabelle belongs to BobbyShobby, who is on DeviantART.
1. Prologue

"I-I killed h-him…" I mumbled, glancing at the marred body to my right. His blood had tainted the air with a nauseating copper scent, filling my nose and making it strenuous to breathe. The scarlet liquid stained my hands and clothes: marking me. The strange man had broken into my house late at night, threatening to kill me if I didn't give him what he wanted. A fight had resulted and it ended badly. I had speared the man through the chest with a fractured piece of wood. He died instantly.

"W-what do I do?" I whispered to no one in particular. Even if it was in self-defense, I had committed murder. A sudden surge of panic welled up inside my body. People in my village were executed for crimes like this. I needed to escape.

Jumping to my feet, I dashed to my bedroom. Tearing off my bloodstained clothes, I replaced them with something cleaner. I grabbed my bag and threw in an extra pair of clothes and my dagger. The dagger was a gift I had gotten for my twentieth birthday, but I've never used it. But now it might come in handy. I slipped on my pair of shoes and briskly made my way to the front door. But, with one last glance at the dead body, I stopped my departure. _If I run away, then it will definitely be considered a crime. But what if I tell the authorities that it was in self-defense? Would I get off easier?_ I collapsed with a whine, not sure of what to do. Running one hand through my russet hair, I continued to think.

The sun was beginning to break the horizon by the time I came to a conclusion. I was going to leave, probably head back to my mother's house. She would understand. I wanted to get out of there badly, and not just because the corpse had begun to smell. Someone would've overheard our struggle earlier and informed the village authorities. Time was limited and I needed to leave _now_. Without further thought, I reached for the doorknob and swung open the door. A glacial blast of air greeted me as I left my house behind. I was thankful that the sun hadn't risen fully yet; it was easier to leave in the darkness.

Everyone was still asleep, thankfully, because the house lights were dim. Well, all except one: my neighbor's house. A feeling of trepidation slowly seeped into my mind. _They heard, didn't they? That means the authorities know…_ I whipped around and broke into a sprint, desperate to reach the outskirts of the village. If I could make it, I could slip into the forest and no one would know. I could now see the sign that welcomed you to the village. Exhilaration and anticipation surged through my veins. But my joy was short-lived.

"Get him!" I could hear my pursuers catching up. _Damn, they came quickly!_ It was a futile effort to fight back so I stopped running.

"Don't even think about trying anything," One of the men hissed in my ear as he roughly grabbed my arm.

"I won't, don't worry." I said with a forced smile. He jerked me backward, half-dragging me to their captain.

"Felix Harrington, you are accused of murder." The captain said in a firm voice, staring at me with piercing blue eyes.

"But-,"

I was struck hard across the face, stumbling from the impact. My cheek throbbed where I had been hit.

"Be quiet, you piece of filth!" The man who was gripping my arm spat. His companions laughed, causing me to almost _growl_ in frustration.

"You can't do this to me!" I wailed, flinching when the man prepares to hit me again, "Don't you know who I am!?"

"I don't care if you're a famous poet, Felix. You've committed a crime and it can't go unpunished." The captain says coldly. Turning to his men, he says: "Take him to the cell." They drag me away viciously. I go limp, terror freezing my limbs. _I can't believe this! I-I'm going to die…_

I had been confined for a few days now. I was exasperated that the trial didn't go as planned. My execution would take place soon, but I didn't know exactly when. I began to pace back and forth, deep in thought. The only thing that kept me from going insane inside this tiny cell was a painting. It was a beautiful work of art made by Isabelle Xandria. I heard she lives in a fairly large village just north of here. I shook my head, trying to dislodge the distracting thought. I let out a sigh and stopped my useless pacing. Instead, I leisurely walked towards the small bed inside the cell and lay down. The only thing I can do know is sleep.

I awake to the feeling of being _dragged._ I didn't know what was going on, it felt like I was suffocating. Panic overtakes me as I begin to thrash around, attempting to escape whatever prison this was. I could feel the soft cloth of some sort of bag. _I've been kidnapped!_ Whatever was dragging me stopped. I froze up, dreading what would come next. And what came was a sharp kick to my side. I let out a yelp at the sudden burst of pain in my ribcage. Then my captor continued to take me to who knows where.

I awoke _again_, but this time with a pulsing headache. My eyes stung, my ears ringing. Something had to have drugged me. Either that or I was hit roughly over the head. Sitting up, I realized I couldn't recall anything that had happened in the previous hours. I was in some sort of stone cell. _I'm getting sick of cells._ I thought grimly, standing up despite my aching limbs. My new prison was obviously timeworn. The stone walls were cracking and the floor was missing some pieces. There was what I assumed to be slime on the walls as well. There was a door but it was locked. An undersized window blocked with metal bars allowed me to see into a hallway. I was sealed. So I did the only thing I could think of.

"Hello?" I called out, my voice echoing throughout the hallway on the opposite side of the door, "Is there anybody out there?" An eerie silence dragged by for a few minutes before the sound of footsteps became noticeable. I didn't know what to feel: relief or fear.

The sound of footfalls grew louder and louder until I knew that whoever it was, was coming to me. I backed away from the door with vacillation, trying to evoke the memory of how I got here. The moment the remembrance came flowing back, the heavy door creaked open. I pressed myself against the stone wall in a pathetic attempt hide. Sweat rolled from my brow, dripping onto the floor. _Why am I so worried? For all I know, they rescued me._ I thought, trying to ease my apprehensive mind. _But why would my rescuers lock me away in a cell? Something is obviously up, Felix. You need to do something._

I looked around the small room for any sort of weapon but there was nothing. But my time to react was over, for I saw a man peek into the room. He had chocolate hair that fell just short of his shoulders. Pale green eyes stared into mine with a twisted pleasure. The stranger had something planned, I knew it.

"You're coming with me," He stated, fully stepping into the room. Just the crazed look on his face made my limbs freeze up in alarm. When I didn't respond, his eyes flared up with aggravation. In one swift motion, the man darted forward and grasped my wrist firmly. My first instinct was to fight back but when I saw another man waiting outside the door, I pushed that plan aside.

The second man was obviously a lot older than the brown-haired one. His hair was a pale white. But what intrigued me the most was the fact that his eyes were two different colors: yellow and blue. The way he stared at me chilled my heart. Everything in my body was screaming to run, to try and escape. But where could I go?

"Keep up!" The brunette snapped, tugging my wrist brutally.

"Calm down, Daniel." The older man said soothingly, "You can take out your anger in a few minutes." My eyes grew wide at that sentence.

"W-what are you gonna d-do to me…?" I said, voice quivering with fear. The older man actually _smiled._ But no answer came.

I couldn't stop the tears from flowing as I lay trembling in my cell. Every part of my body screamed in agony. My arms and back were coated with dried blood, making me itchy and uncomfortable. But I didn't dare move, for I risked sending fresh waves of agony across my form. Even though I was lying as still as possible, the pain didn't cease. Long cuts and wounds lined my arms, a thin trickle of blood still flowing from them. I could feel the burning furrows on my back, the result of a fierce whipping. The wounds on my arms were from knives. The man named Daniel had practically _sawed_ into my arm. The look of pure joy on his face made me hate the man. _If I ever get the chance, I'll go saw into his head. How would you like that?_ I started ranting mentally for a few moments before the distinct sound of footfalls echoed throughout the hallway.

"P-please, I can't take anymore…" I whispered to myself, hugging my knees even tighter. The door opened sluggishly, making the wait unbearable. When I saw Daniel peer in, my blood turned to ice. There was something in his hand, I could tell. He walked into the room fully, shoving the door closed with too much force. Then he lifted his hand.

"Drink this." The evil man said flatly, holding up what looked like a glass bottle. I could see some sort of liquid inside.

"Why the hell would I do that?" I managed to retort. His pale green eyes were instantly alive with ire.

"It'll make all the pain go away," He said, fighting to keep his temper under control. Despite my pitiful situation, I let out a hoarse laugh.

"Yeah, and suddenly I'll grow wings and fly out of this cell." His boot was in my side instantly. I let out a sharp wail as new waves of torment soared through my abused body. I coughed up a bit of blood.

"Drink it, you arrogant bastard!" Daniel snapped. "Or I will force you! And trust me, you won't enjoy that." I decided that resisting any further would result in something painful. Tentatively, I held out one hand. The brown-haired man handed me the bottle, triumph sparkling in his eyes. I was nervous, in fact, I was panicking. Who knew what was in this bottle. _It's probably poisoned…_

"I just want to let you know," I started, scowling at the man, "I don't like you."

"The feeling is mutual. Now drink it!"

"Fine, fine." I held the bottle up to my lips, the glass remarkably cold to the touch. With one last pause, I drank it, wincing at the horrible taste. Instantly, my body reacted. My vision began to blur, all the color of the room mixing together in one confusing motion. I tried to shift, but my movements were sluggish and soon, my own limbs became unresponsive. _What's happening?_ It was even difficult to think; my whole world was spinning. Everything went black in a matter of seconds.

My legs were screaming to stop running, but I couldn't. Stopping now meant capture and probably death. My mind was still in a haze but I didn't have the time to stop and try to recall anything. Someone or something was pursuing me; I knew that much.

It was hard to see in the castle's corridors. There were occasionally some torches, but they provided barely enough light to see a few feet ahead. The darkness almost seemed alive. The shadows danced in the gloom, giving an uneasy feeling to the atmosphere. Everything seemed to be moving, placing me on edge. I saw figures dart by in the obscurity, heard distant footsteps, and one time I thought something growled.

"This place is messed up…" I muttered to myself. The sound of my own voice was soothing. I couldn't stand the silence, it was maddening. I began to hum an old lullaby my mother would sing when I was a child. It slowly calmed my frayed nerves. The thick darkness seemed to have no effect on my mind now. Well, that was until something crashed from behind me. I jumped, barely stifling a yelp of surprise. When I heard the distinct sound of running, I panicked and darted into the closest room.

I had entered some sort of bedroom. There was a wardrobe, a small bed, and a desk. I glanced around in a frenzy, desperately searching for some sort of hiding spot. When my gaze landed on the wardrobe, I frantically climbed inside.

When I heard the door slam open, I was sure my pursuer could hear my heart beating. It was thumping at an alarmingly fast rate; it was all I could hear. But when the door slammed shut, I was relieved. I sat for a few moments, letting my exhaustion flow over me like a wave. My legs ached from the strenuous hours of running. My eyelids were growing heavy with the need to rest, but I fought the consuming feeling away. With a deep breath, I climbed out of my hiding spot and bolted for the door. When I re-entered the menacing corridor, I noticed it was pitch black. The torches that were lit a few moments earlier were now dead. I clenched my teeth, deciding whether I should continue my escape.

"I don't have a choice," I say to myself, "It's just darkness. You need to leave now, Felix." I stepped into the ominous hallway, shutting the door behind me. Immediately, the shadows came to life. They seemed to be _watching_ me, hungrily awaiting the moment I collapsed in terror. Shaking my head in a desperate attempt to dislodge the disturbing thoughts, I broke into a run. My footsteps sounded so loud compared to the quiet shadows. I couldn't help but think that my pursuer from earlier could hear the noise I was making.

The dark was so thick, it was almost suffocating. I couldn't tell how far or how long I'd been running: my surroundings hadn't changed at all. My eyes never adjusted, making things more difficult then needed. I let out a cry of astonishment as my foot hit something hard, throwing my whole body off balance. I collapsed onto the floor, panting and sweating.

I glanced around, desperately searching for the cause of my fall. When my gaze landed on it, I was amazed. It looked like a fragment of glass, but it was _glowing._ I reached forward, grasping the abnormal object in my hand. But when I glanced into the shadows, I freaked. The shadows were actually moving, slithering across the ground in silent unison. I threw the glowing piece of "glass" down the corridor and bolted.

Everywhere I went, I felt like I was being watched. Nowhere felt comfortable or safe, and I knew I couldn't stop running. That glowing fragment I picked up earlier had triggered something, I knew it. I could hear things: the distant sound of a roar, the creaking of wood, the hissing cockroaches, and other sounds I couldn't describe. The whole castle seemed to come to life. I closed my eyes and began to sob.

_I just want to go home…_

In my blindness, I stumbled into some room. It was even darker in here than in the castle halls. Terror engrossed my mind as I groped for some sort of door, but in my attempt, I stumbled. The whole world seemed to shift as I fell, and I knew I was tumbling from some sort of height. When I hit the ground, my mind went blank.


	2. Unfortunate Awakening

Chapter 1: Unfortunate Awakening

Tentatively, I opened one eye, only to be greeted by piercing darkness. Instantly, my drowsiness evaporated, panic blooming throughout my aching body. _Where am I?_ That was the only thought I could muster as I tried to take in my surroundings, but it was too dark to see _anything_. Hesitantly, I lifted myself off of the dirt floor, and then sat down again when my head began to throb. The shadows in the dark room began to swirl and dance, hungrily surrounding my trembling form. Terror slowly entered my confused mind as I watched the scene.

"W-what's happening…?" I mumbled, gripping my russet hair tightly as the headache worsened. It soon grew unbearable, the throbbing turning into stabbing pain. In pure horror, I jumped to my feet and began hunting for some source of light. It was hard to search when you couldn't see anything. I tripped a couple of times, walked in circles, and hit the wall by the time the room lit up slightly. I stopped my search abruptly.

"W-who's there?" I called out, voice noticeably shaking. No answer came, causing dread to rise in my mind. Someone obviously lit a candle, but whom? I made my way cautiously toward the room that was now lit. I paused at the door, deciding whether to open it or not. Taking a deep breath, I shoved open the entrance.

The room was fairly large. Boxes and barrels were strewn all over the floor, making the rather big area seem cluttered and tiny. There were shelves with all sorts of bottles and glasses lining them, most broken. But what disturbed me the most was the fresh blood splattered across the walls and floor. _Fresh_ blood_._ I wanted to leave immediately, for I was afraid that I wasn't the only presence in the room. But when my emerald gaze landed on the lit candle, all thoughts of retreat dissolved from my mind. Uncertainly, I crept over the boxes, wincing when my leg bumped against the wood. When I reached my precious source of light, I grasped the metal handle firmly. _You're coming with me._ I stated mentally. This candle was the only way I was going to see in the thick darkness. Briskly, I circled back towards the door and made my way over the scattered boxes. An ominous feeling gradually slithered into my mind as I left the diminutive room. I could almost _feel_ some other being in my presence. Gritting my teeth, I held up the candle to view the rest of the main room.

It was a sad sight. There were three other doors, not counting the one I had just left, and a rotting staircase that led to a top floor. Now that I could see, the place seemed less inauspicious. With one brief glance, I realized that my best way out would be to go upstairs. Diffidently, I tip-toed over to the fragile staircase but stopped when I reached the first step. I could feel the eyes that glowered into my back. There was something looking at me, I knew it. But what exactly? I didn't want to turn around, afraid that it might provoke the other being. Uncertain, I blew out the candle and leisurely made my way up the staircase, wincing at every creak. That was a mistake.

My movements must've caught the other's attention, for I suddenly heard a rush of footfalls. My first instinct was to bolt, and I did.

The staircase groaned and creaked as I dashed upstairs, desperate to reach the door that could lead to my escape. Whatever the thing was, it was still pursuing, causing adrenaline to flow throughout my veins. When I reached the metal door, I frantically fumbled for the doorknob, sweat pouring off of my face. Finally, it flung open, sending me flying out into a stone corridor. I didn't pause to take in my new surroundings, but hastily climbed to my feet and continued my dash. From what I could tell, my new environment looked like some kind of main room. There were giant stone columns, most collapsed. I could see a massive wooden door to my right, probably leading out of this strange place. I would've liked to stop and admire the architecture but I had some more serious issues.

I risked a glance back only to see my pursuer was gone. Uncertain and bewildered, I stopped my hectic dash and decided to catch my breath.

"That's odd…" I said aloud, wiping the sweat off of my forehead. With a shrug, I began to walk to one of the large stone staircases. There was one door on the bottom level but I figured I'd explore it later. The upstairs seemed more promising.

My heart was pounding, my arms and legs shaking. Everything in my body told me to disappear incase my pursuer was still lurking about, but I _wanted_ to see what was up there. In fact, I wanted to explore this whole place, which I assumed was a castle.

Without further hesitation, I began to climb the stone stairs, curiosity growing with each step. But as I neared the top, the air seemed to chill. The same feeling from earlier came flowing back, and I knew my enemy had returned. But this time, I was out in the open. The monster must've seen me right away for I could hear it stomping up the staircase at a remarkably swift rate. I willed my legs to move, to try and run, but for some odd reason, I was glued to the spot. It was as if my whole body had shut down in terror.

The next thing I knew, cold, long claws ripped down my back, tearing my clothes and leaving a long, but shallow wound. I let out a yell of distress before collapsing onto the frigid, stone ground. Horror gripped my mind as I desperately tried to stand up before a fatal blow arrived.

I shoved myself upward, frantically scrambling for balance as I bolted up the stairs. The beast must've been caught off guard at my sudden movements, for I never heard it pursuing. That or it _chose_ to let me go.

I had found a simple room to hide in. It had a small bed, a desk, and a wardrobe. I had hidden in the wardrobe, afraid that my enemy would come looking for me. But I knew that if it wanted to find me, it would've come by now. Instead, I had something else to worry about. The wound it left on my back stung horribly and the rest of my body ached from the previous events. With a long sigh, I laid my head against the back of the wardrobe and closed my eyes. I tried to recall any memory that would tell me how I had ended up in this atrocious place, but my mind was blank. Anxiety began to work its way into my thoughts as I realized I couldn't remember _anything._ It was as if my memories had been erased. Terrified, I gripped my knees and pulled them close.

"I just want to go home…" I whispered, voice shaking. I closed my eyes tighter, trying to block out everything in this strange place. But I could still hear the sounds of footsteps, the occasional gust of wind, and the hissing cockroaches. But then the footsteps grew louder.

I held my breath, afraid that whoever was coming could hear me. My heart was pounding riotously and I mutely cursed it. The footfalls grew louder and louder until they stopped right outside the door. I could hear the door swing open and I almost screamed in fright. Then a voice broke the silence.

"The blood trail ends here." The voice sounded female.

"Wait," This time it was a male, "There's some on the wardrobe." My eyes grew wide and I frantically searched for some sort of weapon. But I realized there was nothing. With quiet dread, I waited for the two strangers to find me.


	3. Strangers in a Strange Land

Chapter 2: Strangers in a Strange Land

The wardrobe doors flung open only to reveal a man and a woman. I clenched my eyes shut and held up my hands in a pathetic attempt to defend myself.

"P-please don't h-hurt me…" I pleaded, voice shaking from my fright. My whole body was quivering, anticipating the first wave of agony. But nothing happened. Warily, I opened one tear-filled eye and glanced upwards to the strangers. They were staring at my trembling form with worried expressions, which bewildered me.

"We aren't going to hurt you," The woman said gently. She had stunningly beautiful aqua eyes. Her raven black hair fell just short of her hips. Everything about her was perfect, except I could see fear hidden in those pools of aqua.

"Where are you injured?" The man asked, taking a step towards me. He had pale green eyes, similar to mine, along with chocolate brown hair that rested upon his shoulders. They both looked my age, maybe a bit older. When he took another step, I flinched and scrambled farther into the wardrobe.

"Don't touch me!" I shrieked. The man recoiled, surprised by my reaction.

"W-we just want to help." The black-haired woman said, trying to reassure me.

"I don't need any help." I retorted, trying to seem like my old self, but I realized that fighting them was a mistake. With a long sigh, I climbed out of the wardrobe and stood up. I realized was a bit taller than the man.

Nervously, I gestured towards my back, wincing when the man went behind me to get a better look.

"You should sit down." He stated before turning towards the woman, "Isabelle, is there anything we can use as a bandage?"

"Don't ask me." She replied with a shrug. I walked over to the bed and sat down, relieved that I could repose for a few moments. My eyes were heavy with exhaustion, and my limbs were aching. I watched the two strangers through narrowed eyes as they argued for what seemed like an eternity. Finally I spoke up, annoyed at their voices.

"I don't need a bandage; it's not a deep wound." I said, provocation lacing my tone, "The blood is already dried." They both looked at me with uncertainty before Isabelle nodded slightly.

"Well, I was thinking," The man said as he turned towards me, "That you should stay with us. It'd be safer that way." I glared at him for a few moments before letting out a sigh.

"I suppose you're right." I agreed reluctantly. It _was_ a good idea, but I wasn't too fond of these strangers.

"Great!" His happiness was irritating, "My name is Daniel, by the way. And this is Isabelle." He gestured towards the girl.

"I'm… Felix…" I said slowly, straining to remember my own name_. What's wrong with me? I can't recall a thing… Did something happen?_ I shook my head in dismay, worried about my memory loss.

The three of us had been exploring the castle for a few hours by the time I began to grow doubtful. I knew that Daniel and Isabelle had some sort of plan, but they wouldn't tell me. We had entered the Entrance Hall by the time Daniel spoke up.

"There is some sort of fleshy tissue that's blocking a hallway. We need something that will get rid of it."

"And what exactly would we use?" I asked, raising a brow.

"I'm not sure, but we might find something if we explore." He replied coolly.

"Where should we start?" Isabelle piped in, her aqua eyes sparkling with interest. Daniel took a moment to take in the whole room, green eyes observing every detail. Then he pointed toward a hallway upstairs.

"That looks like a good place to start." He stated. With a shrug, I started off in that direction, Isabelle following closely. When we entered the room, which was called the Archives, I could feel a change in the atmosphere. Instantly, I was on edge, and I could tell the others were tense as well. Hesitantly, I took a step forward, wincing when the floor creaked beneath my weight.

"What exactly are we looking for in here?" I whispered to Daniel.

"Anything that can get us through that tissue. Or anything that looks like it might come in handy." He replied mutely.

"Maybe we should split up. We can cover more ground that way and meet here later." Isabelle suggested. The thought of being alone sent chills throughout my body. I started trembling slightly, before I caught myself and stopped.

"I don't think that's wise…" I said quietly, voice quivering. _Why am I so terrified?_

"Felix is right," Daniel alleged, "Let's just explore and get out of here. It's creepy…" Isabelle nodded and we began our slow search of the Archives. It was quite nice actually. There were exquisite paintings hung on the wall, elegant furniture and decorations, and gorgeous architecture. _I wonder who lived in this place…_

"Wait!" Isabelle hissed as we entered a long hallway. There was a carpet with abnormal patterns sewn into it, one huge painting that took up most of the east wall, and a fireplace at the end of the hallway. I stared in awe, oblivious to Isabelle's warning.

"What is it?" Daniel asked, concern edging his timbre.

"I-I heard something," Isabelle said worriedly. At that, I snapped out of my daze and frantically glanced around the room, praying nothing else was in our presence. When my gaze landed on nothing but walls, I let out a small sigh of respite.

"Let's take is nice and slow." Daniel stated before taking a faltering step forward. I waited, afraid that some monster would show up as soon as I let my guard down, but nothing happened. With a shrug, I followed Daniel until we reached a door at the end of the corridor. Hesitating, I stopped, anxious for my own wellbeing.

"Come on, we need to keep going!" He urged. "You don't want to be left behind, do you?" I shook my head vigorously, instantly terrified at the thought. Ever since that experience when I first woke up, the thought of being alone sent chills down my spine. I thought of my wound for a moment, wondering if it was as gruesome as it felt.

All three of us went through the door, and rapidly the light vanished. I could see dust swirling throughout the air, dancing and taunting us with its freedom. The hallway ended a few meters in front of us, but there was another that veered to the left. We turned left, walking until the darkness started growing thick. I had to squint to see Daniel in front of me. But soon, the gloom lifted as we came across a door. Entering, it turned out it was a map room. There were shelves full of scrolls, a few mapping out sections of the castle. Enthralled, I walked over to examine a few, convinced that it might be beneficial. I could tell Daniel and Isabelle were bored, but they were filing through the maps and scrolls as well. After a few moments, I put the paper down.

"Let's move on." I stated, going over the drawings in my mind. The two nodded and we moved across the hall to the second door. But Isabelle paused.

"Look!" She pointed toward the wall, "Its breaking! Maybe we can get through." She peered inside. "There's a room on the other side."

"A room?" Daniel and I said in unison, bafflement in our tone.

"Yeah," She sounded impressed with herself, "We should try to break through." At that sentence, she slammed one fist down on the fragile stone. She repeated the process until the wall crumbled, revealing a passage into the secret room. We climbed through one by one. When I reached the other side, it turned out the room was just a few bookcases and one locked door. I looked around, dumbfounded, until my gaze landed on Daniel. His eyes looked glazed over, as if he were dead.

"Daniel?" I called out, worry gripping my body. Suddenly, he shook his head, color returning to his pale green eyes.

"We need to pull a certain three books out of the shelves and something will open." He said calmly, walking over to the cases and searching for one of the three._ What just happened?_ I glanced at Isabelle and I could tell she was just as confused.

"Here's one." Daniel pointed, "Felix, on my call, I want you to pull this out. Isabelle, there is another right over there. I need you to pull that as well." He walked around a bookcase. "Now!"

I gripped the book firmly and tugged it out of its spot. There was a strange clicking noise, but it was soon disrupted by the sound of something swinging open. One of the shelves had moved!

"How the hell did you know what to do?" Isabelle accused.

"I-It just came to me…" He lied.

"Whatever, he figured it out. No big deal. Now let's see what opened." I said with exasperation. They nodded and we walked over to the case that had swung open. There was a room with a desk and a wardrobe: plain and simple. But on the desk, there was a key.

"Look over here," I said, "There's a key."

"What for?" Isabelle inquired.

"There's a label on it." I narrowed my eyes to read the sloppy handwriting, "It says Wine Cellar."

"Then our next stop is the Wine Cellar." Daniel stated, but his voice was cut off by the sound of wood shattering. A low, foreboding growl came from the previous room, and I immediately darted toward the wardrobe. Panicking, I scrambled inside, desperate to hide from the beast. Daniel and Isabelle followed, and we barely managed to fit inside the closet. I struggled to slow my breathing as I strained to hear outside our hiding spot. When no sound came, I let out a sigh of relief and climbed out, grateful to have my own space.

"What was that?" Isabelle asked, voice quivering.

"I think that's what _attacked_ me," I droned, gripping the key securely. "Let's just get going. I don't want to stick around in case that thing comes back."

_It turns out, the Wine Cellar was the place I woke up in._


	4. Wine Cellar

Chapter 3: Wine Cellar

My hands were shaking as I slid the key into the door, wincing as I turned and unlocked the entrance. The thought of returning to this place sent fear throughout my body, and I couldn't help but think about my wound. _What if the monster is still in there? I don't think I can do this. I should tell the others._

"I think I'm going to stay here and keep watch…" I mumbled, voice barely audible. Daniel and Isabelle gave me a strange look.

"How come? Is Felix scared?" Isabelle taunted. I shot her a look of pure fury and she recoiled, surprised at my sudden ferocity.

"Yes, I _am_ scared." I declared, straining to keep my voice steady, "I woke up here! And the monster happened to be in the same room at that time. That's how I got injured! So of course I'm going to be nervous."

"I-I didn't know…" Isabelle apologized. I let out a snort, ignoring her quiet voice. I turned to Daniel but his gaze was elsewhere. He was staring intently at the door, visage absent in thought. After a few moments of dreadful silence, he turned his emerald eyes to mine.

"You need to stay with us Felix, even if you don't like it." He said sternly, "You're more vulnerable when you're alone." I dropped my head, disappointed, but nodded in agreement.

"Let's go then." Isabelle said impatiently, shoving open the door leading into the Wine Cellar. I swallowed the lump in my throat and followed her into the wall of darkness.

Instantly, eyesight became futile. I could barely make out the figure of Isabelle in front of me as we descended down the staircase. _This is where the monster started chasing me…_ I thought grimly, resisting the urge to flee. I could hear Daniel grinding his teeth behind me in concern.

"We need to check each room," Isabelle whispered, "But be careful. I can hear footsteps." At that, my eyes widened in alarm. Nervously, my gaze flicked from the doors to the walls, intently searching for any signs of danger. When my eyes landed on an open door, I nudged Isabelle.

"Let's go in there," I whispered quietly, pointing. She nodded and all three of us tip-toed toward the door. Shoving it open as gently as possible, I examined the room. There was what looked like organs strewn across the ground. The acrid scent hit my nose instantly and I withdrew, feeling bile rising in my throat. Daniel patted my back soothingly before entering the room. With sheer reluctance, I followed, unwilling to be left behind. We wandered throughout the gruesome room before Isabelle let out a squeal of surprise.

"Look!" She said excitedly, "It's some sort of chemical."

"Chemical?" Daniel and I said in unison.

"Yeah, it says **Aqua Regia**." Isabelle said, narrowing her eyes to read the handwriting. _I've never heard of that before._ I thought briefly.

"Take it," Daniel stated, "We might need it later." Isabelle nodded and grabbed the bottle. She stuffed it in her dress and we exited the room. I was grateful to leave it behind. We then silently traveled to the nearest room. As we entered, I saw that the table was flipped over. Some sort of green substance was splattered across the floor. My emerald gaze followed the trail until I saw the source. It looked like another chemical bottle. With curiosity, I walked over, ignoring Daniel's warning. Bending over to read the label, I saw it said **Calamine**. Tentatively, I picked up the bottle, wincing as my hand brushed against some of the liquid. It stung greatly, but didn't seem to scar my flesh. I gripped the glass tightly before turning towards Daniel and Isabelle.

"I found another," I stated, "Maybe there are more that we need to find."

"What do we need them for?" Isabelle asked.

"I'm not sure, but let's take them anyway." I reply before turning to exit the room. _I wonder how many more are left._ After further exploration of the Wine Cellar, we had found one more chemical:** Cuprite. **

"Is this all of them?" Isabelle said with a snort of irritation.

"There's one last door we haven't checked." Daniel stated flatly. "It's behind the staircase." I nodded; reluctant to go anywhere _near_ the stairs, but we needed to check the place out thoroughly. Exiting the room with extreme caution, the three of us quietly made our way to the door behind the staircase. Hesitantly, I opened the door, only to reveal a long corridor. The darkness felt strange and unnatural, and I knew to be on alert.

"Felix," Daniel whispered, "I want you to go left and check things out. Isabelle and I will go right. We'll meet up in the main room by the stairs in a few minutes." I swallowed nervously, afraid to explore by myself, but nodded in agreement. _I don't want them to think I'm weak or helpless._ I thought bitterly, _as much as I hate this, I'll prove them wrong._

I leisurely made my way to the end of the left-side. It ended with a wall, which strangely disappointed me. The only thing was a shelf to my right. But something caught my gaze.

It looked like a bottle, only it was maybe six inches in height and filled with a strange green liquid. Curiosity overriding fear, I edged toward the glass cylinder. With haste, I snatched up the bottle, but almost fainted when a thundering growl echoed down the corridor. Panicked, I scrambled to hide behind the shelf, struggling to control my rapid breathing. _Why now? Why do you _have_ to come when I'm alone?_ I wailed mentally, cursing myself for splitting up with Daniel and Isabelle. Taking a quick look from behind the shelf, I could see the silhouette of the monster in the distance. It was just _standing _there, waiting for me to make some sort of noise. After a few terrifying moments, my apprehension faded into frustration. _Move already!_ I had been staring at the beast for a few minutes now.

Then an idea came to mind.

I tentatively stepped out from behind the shelf, wincing as I became fully exposed. The monster didn't seem to notice, thankfully, as I drew closer and closer. Suddenly, the beast lurched forward and I dove to the walls, desperate to hide. When I saw that the thing was moving _away_, I blushed, embarrassed at my frantic actions.

Since the monster was now absent, I decided to track down Isabelle and Daniel. The mere thought of them sent anger throughout my body, but it quickly subsided. I could've protested against Daniel's idea, so it wasn't entirely his fault. Quietly making my way down the corridor, I soon could hear hushed voices. Entering the next room, Daniel and Isabelle were standing next to a chemical.

"Oh, Felix!" Daniel yelped in surprise as he turned around, only to be inches from my face. "When did you get here?"

"Oh, let's see," I said, seething with anger, "Right after I had an encounter with the monster!"

"Are you alright?" The man said, emerald eyes glistening with concern. What took me off guard was the sheer intensity of his gaze, like he really _was_ worried for my wellbeing. Shaking my head from the thoughts, I turned to respond.

"I'm fine, just shaken. I was trapped behind a shelf for ten minutes until it finally left!" I said with a snort of exasperation. Daniel smiled slightly, amused at my anger.

"We found another chemical," Isabelle broke in, "I think it's the last one."

"If it is the last one, let's get the hell out of here!" I said, eager to leave this dreadful place. The two nodded and we made our way to the staircase, and soon we exited the Wine Cellar.


	5. Things Always Go Wrong

Chapter 4: Things Always Go Wrong

The moment we exited the Wine Cellar, the ground shook with devastating roughness, an echoing roar sending chills down my spine. Isabelle's eyes were wide with terror, obviously bewildered by the earsplitting reverberation. When the castle stopped trembling, an eerie silence dragged out for what seemed like an eternity. Then Daniel broke the silence.

"We _need_ to keep moving." He stated sternly before walking across the corridor to the door that read "Laboratory". I nodded, dumbfounded, and followed the man blindly. When we entered the laboratory, every torch was lit. I should've been nervous but the light was soothing. I was slightly amused that the light actually _hurt_ my eyes. _I must've been in the darkness for quite some time._ I thought, staring down to the bottom floor.

We went downstairs with trepidation, obviously wondering why the place was lit up like a birthday-cake. On the bottom floor, there was another door to my left, and I nudged Daniel in that direction. He nodded in acknowledgment and we entered the next room. _This castle has too many rooms._ I thought with irritation as we stumbled into some sort of chemistry chamber. Glasses, bottles, and all sort of things were filling the multiple shelves in front of me. Daniel wandered off to a table that had some sort of equipment.

"Hey," he said, "Bring me the four chemicals." Without protest, I pulled out the one I was carrying: **Orpiment**. Isabelle brought over her two and Daniel pulled out the last one. I realized that four glass containers were attached to a pipe. It was obviously made for mixing chemicals, but we needed some sort of pot. Glancing around the room, I spotted something that could work. As Daniel turned on the burner and poured the liquids into their glass containers, I put a chemistry pot under the nozzle. The three of us turned the wheels and watched as all four chemicals mixed together and poured into the pot, sizzling and gurgling with acidic power. Daniel's eyes were gleaming with triumph.

"Maybe we can use this to get rid of that fleshy wall." He stated.

"I completely forgot about that…" I mumbled.

"Let's take this acid and go already," Isabelle whispered, "This place is creepy." The moment the words left her lips, a frightening crash came from the main room. It was the sound of wood splintering and crashing into stone. I jumped at the sudden noise, catapulting into Daniel, and we both fell onto the dirty floor.

"S-sorry!" I gasped, climbing to my feet and brushing the dust off my clothes.

"Don't do it again," Daniel said, amused.

"I know you two are having a moment, but we have more important things to worry about!" Isabelle snapped. I shot her a look of disdain before turning to investigate the source of the noise. When I saw, my hope plummeted.

"Guys," I said with a sigh, "The staircase collapsed!"

"Really?" Isabelle sounded exasperated, "Can things get _any_ worse for us?"

"Well," Daniel started, "We could've been trapped in here with the monster with no means of escaping."

"Well, aren't you Mr. Sunshine…" I muttered.

"I'm just looking at the good side of things," He sounded offended.

"Well, let's stop messing around and figure out how we're gonna escape." Isabelle said with a mute tone. She looked around, examining the now dark room through narrowed eyes. Then she spotted something.

"We can stack up those boxes!" She said excitedly, pointing with one finger. "Then we can jump onto the platform." I nodded before sauntering over to pick up one of the wooden boxes. All three of us placed one box on the collapsed staircase, and I realized that we could now jump.

"Who's gonna go first?" Daniel asked.

"I'll go, because it's ladies-first." Isabelle said with a sneer as she began to climb. _You're such an asshole._ I thought with a laugh as I watched her balance precariously on the third box. When she jumped, I held my breath, faintly hoping she'd miss and plunge toward the stone ground. But my wish didn't come true, for she landed easily onto the platform.

"Alright, who's next?" She said triumphantly. With one quick glance at Daniel, I decided to go next. It proved to be easy as I soon joined Isabelle on the platform, and then followed by Daniel moments later.

"Let's get going." He muttered imperceptibly, gripping the pot of acid firmly. I exchanged a worried glance with Isabelle before following.

The acid did its work wonderfully. The fleshy wall was dissolved within moments, opening a new passage that lead deeper into the castle. We entered without hesitation, relieved to finally be making some progress. I still didn't know _why_ we were descending deeper into the castle. Daniel and Isabelle obviously had a reason but they hadn't told me anything. It was beginning to irritate me, but I figured they had a reason.

"The next room is called the Refinery." Daniel stated, examining the door though emerald eyes. _It doesn't sound too bad…_ I thought briefly before Isabelle kicked the metal door open with astounding force.

Of course, we had to be greeted with thick, consuming darkness. I let out a sigh and decided that Daniel should lead. He seemed to know where he was going, but then my thoughts traveled back to the maps. _I know where to go as well._

"Stay close and do _not_ fall behind." The man hissed urgently. I obeyed; watching as the darkness seemed to grow closer, hungrily waiting for its next victim.

We had been walking for quite a while until Daniel suddenly dropped to the ground, grabbing my wrist and pulling me along with him. Isabelle followed, confused at our sudden action.

"I swear I just heard something," The man muttered, turning towards me. My blood turned icy as I strained to hear over the hissing cockroaches.

"You must've imagined it." I said at last.

"But I swear-,"

"It was nothing!" Isabelle interrupted, "Now let's just keep moving. This place is almost as creepy as the Wine Cellar." I decided to be reckless and took a step further into the wall of gloom. I could see a faint outline of a doorway, possibly leading to some other room. When I took another step, a threatening growl rumbled from in front of me. Daniel darted out and grabbed my arm before dragging me to safety.

"What were you thinking?" He snapped quietly.

"I didn't want to sit here forever until you thought it was safe to move!" I retorted, voice rising carelessly.

"You're such an idiot Felix! You could've gotten some unwanted attention!" He fired back, frustration obvious in his timbre.

"No, Daniel, I'm not that careless. And I'm not that stupid either. I-,"

"YOU GUYS!" Isabelle was on the verge of screaming. We both turned to look at the fuming woman, "Quit yelling at each other! We've got something far more important to take care of." I threw one last glance at Daniel before nodding.

We had entered the next room where I had heard the growl. My hands were quaking, expecting some sort of horrible event to happen. But everything seemed relatively calm. There were four doors and we entered the nearest on the left. When nothing caught our interest, we moved onto the next. That's when I saw another bottle of that strange green liquid. I darted over despite Daniel's hiss of vexation and grasped the bottle.

"What is that?" Daniel asked.

"I think it's called laudanum." I replied soundlessly, examining the glass through an uncompromising gaze.

"Isn't that some sort of painkiller?" Isabelle broke the silence, her voice indicating boredom.

"Yeah, I found a bottle earlier. I think it might come in handy." I said mostly to myself before tucking the bottle inside my shirt.

"Alright, let's keep moving." Daniel said. The moment he moved, the nearest door slammed open, stopping my heart in terror. I expected the beast to come sauntering through the open entrance, but after a few moments of eerie silence, nothing happened. Daniel let out a long sigh of relief.

"L-let's just keep g-going." He stammered, obviously startled and scared by the event. I followed willingly, eyes widening as we entered a room with an abundance of wine bottles scattered across the floor. Isabelle wandered off, kicking a bottle and smiling when it broke. Daniel walked to the end of the room, yelling in surprise when he stumbled over a box. I laughed, trying to annoy the russet-haired man even further. But he ignored my taunt.

"There's something behind these boxes!" He said excitedly, kicking one box from its spot next to the wall. Sure enough, light was pouring through from the other side. All three of us went to work, moving the boxes until an entrance became visible. I ducked under and examined the new room.

"It looks safe." I stated before going in fully. The hidden room had an eerie red glow to it, obviously from the torches. One side was dark, hidden behind a massive barrel. As I walked over, I noticed some sort of trap door on the ground.

"Hey, help me get this open." I called to my companions. Isabelle let out a taut snicker.

"There's an easier way," She said, voice laden with arrogance. "There's a pulley system." She pointed to a series of ropes attached to the trap door. _I didn't notice that…_ I saw a wheel at the opposite side of the room, hidden in the dark half.

"Here, I'll pull open the door. You guys can go in first." I said before jogging over to the wheel. I grasped the wheel and started to open the trap door. It was almost open until something decided to break through the door that only a few feet away from me.

I could see a fierce looking metal blade slashing through the wood as if it were butter. Panicked, I began to spin the wheel faster, hoping that the door was open far enough for the three of us to slip inside.

"Felix!" Daniel screamed as the wood shattered, "You need to run, NOW!" I took his word and sprinted from the wheel, panicking as I could hear something heavy thundering after me. Quickly, I looked over my shoulder to see.

The thing was hideous. Its head was split in two, five teeth barely clinging to the flesh. Metal plates were sewn into its sickly green skin and its right hand wasn't a hand; it was a blade. In my awe, I stumbled and fell right as the beast lifted its arm to swing its weapon. The thing must've been caught off guard by my fall, for it barreled into my back and the blade grazed my shoulder.

And by grazed, I mean it went deep into my skin. Pain shot throughout my body and I couldn't tell if I screamed or cried, but the last thing I remembered was falling through the trap door and into Daniel's arms.

"Felix!" He yelled, but his voice barely reached my ears before things began to spin and sway.

_ Why does this always happen to me?_ The thought barely escaped my mind before everything went black.


	6. Rest

Chapter 5: Rest

Gently, I opened both sore eyes only to find myself in an eccentric place. I tried to shift positions, but the slight movement sent waves of misery throughout my shoulder. My head was spinning, making it seem like the walls were moving and mixing together. Bewildered, I closed my eyes in an attempt to block out the strange scene. But then I felt something brush against my back.

I looked upward and screamed, frightened by the appearance of something hideous. Its jaw hung loosely from its face, its skin tied to its body by rotting ropes. In a desperate attempt to hide, I dived from my spot despite my aching shoulder. I expected to feel the rough impact of flesh on stone, but when I landed in frigid water, I was entirely confused. I glanced back to my spot, but instead of seeing a disgusting beast, I saw Daniel and Isabelle.

"Felix!" Daniel screamed, "Get back here now!" I gave him a confused look, but when I saw terror in his emerald eyes, my confusion turned to panic. My two friends were balancing on a massive crate, obviously avoiding the water. At the tone of fright in Daniel's voice, I tried to wade back to him, but my whole body was sluggish. In frustration and terror, Daniel jumped off of the box and grasped my wrist. He tugged me onto the box in seconds, shaking and breathing heavily.

"W-why did you jump in?" He asked, seething with anger.

"I-I saw a m-monster…" I stammered, dumbfounded.

"There are no monsters except the invisible thing in the water!" He stated, pointing toward the cold water.

"I swear I saw something…" I mumbled.

"You must've been hallucinating." Isabelle spoke up, "You _were_ injured quite badly. And you hit your head when you fell through the trap door." _Now that she mentions it, I don't remember anything from earlier. Did I really get injured? That would explain my shoulder._

"W-where are we…?" I asked quietly, gazing into the water.

"The Cellar Archives." They replied in unison.

"Why are we on boxes?" I inquired.

"Well, there is something in the water that want's to eat us." Daniel said blankly, "I had to carry you through this whole place while avoiding the water. You're quite heavy, you know?"

"It's not my fault I got injured!" I snapped.

"It kind of is!" Daniel retorted, "You _had_ to stumble!"

"I'm a klutz, I can't help that!" I shot back.

"SHUT UP, BOTH OF YOU!" Isabelle screamed. I flinched, caught off guard by her screech. "Why must you _always_ argue?"

"I can't help it." Daniel shrugged, "Felix is just so fun to annoy." I was about to snap at the man, but a sudden splash to my right caught my attention. I turned to look, amazed at the obvious beast in the water. It was splashing, alerting us to its position. In fact, the thing was making its way over to our box.

"Great, our talking drew its attention…" Isabelle let out a sigh.

"I'll find another limb to use as bait," Daniel said casually, hopping nimbly onto another box.

"_Limb?"_ I asked, bemused.

"There are some body parts strewn around the place; obviously the beast's earlier victims. If we throw them in the water, it distracts the monster." I nodded, slightly disgusted at the thought of picking up dismembered limbs.

Daniel soon rejoined us, holding an arm in his hand. With a grunt, he tossed the flesh into the water.

"We need to get the gate open while it's distracted." He stated, jumping back into the water. I finally realized that we were by some sort of metal gate. A wheel was attached to the wall, obviously the only way to open the gate. He started spinning the wheel frantically until the gate was opened enough for us to get through. Isabelle ducked under and bolted for the door at the end of the water-filled corridor. Daniel followed, and I tried but my shoulder began to throb. I gasped before collapsing, caught off guard at the sudden intensity of pain, but quickly regained my feet.

We burst through the door, only to find ourselves in another room. There was one more door in front of us, but after a few moments, we realized it was locked.

"Is there anything we can use to get this open?" Isabelle asked, her voice tense with fear. Daniel narrowed his eyes and scanned the dark room.

"There! We can use that needle." Daniel picked up a white, hollow needle and used it to pick the lock. The door opened into another long hallway. Of course, it was filled with water. But what disturbed me the most was what looked like flesh clinging to the wall. In fact, it looked like the same fleshy substance that had blocked the door earlier. Repulsed, I fixed my gaze on Isabelle, trying to avoid eye contact with the walls.

"It's too quiet in here…" Isabelle murmured as we trekked down the corridor, opening the doors that were blocking our path. When she opened the second one, a sudden splash sounded behind us. _You're kidding me…_  
"I think it found us." Daniel whispered. After his words, the splashes suddenly gained speed, indicating the invisible beast had located us. We bolted instantly, slamming open the doors and jumping over the boxes with ease. The maze never seemed to end and I was worried that we were trapped. But then I saw the last door. We burst through with screams of joy, eager to leave that watery hell behind.

I collapsed onto the stone ground, gasping as my wound began to throb. Fresh blood began to stain my clothes, indicating that I had aggravated the injury.

"Felix, are you alright?" Isabelle asked worriedly.

"Yeah, I'm fine." I replied doubtfully. "All the running must've reopened it."

"I can't believe we made it!" Isabelle said with a squeal, forgetting my injury. "That water monster was terrifying."

"It's too soon to celebrate. We have a long way to go. But our number one concern is rest right now. I'm exhausted, what about you guys?" Daniel said. I nodded, eager to lie down for a few moments. My whole body was racked with fatigue from the hours of strenuous activity.

I climbed to my feet and we trekked up the long staircase that was to our front. When we reached the top, the castle expanded into some sort of clearing. There was an upstairs with two rooms. On the bottom floor, there was an odd fountain. Half of a woman's body was lying in the fountain, obviously made of stone. Another two doors were on our level.

"Should we explore first? Or is a nap more important?" I asked.

"I say we should sleep. I can't go on for another minute." Isabelle replied, strolling over to the eerie fountain. She sat on the edge and touched the water. _After that experience, I'm never going near water again._ I thought to myself as I turned to examine our new surroundings.

"I'm going upstairs." I stated flatly before climbing up the staircase. The first room was the Guest Room. _That sounds promising…_ Daniel followed me in.

The room was a mess. Books, drawers, and all sorts of things were scattered across the room. Someone had obviously been searching for something. Taking a closer look to my right, I saw another room. It was just as messy, but there was a bed. I let out a sigh of relief.

"I'll go get Isabelle." Daniel said with a smile before leaving me alone in the room. When he was gone, I began to feel paranoid. Whipping around, I narrowed my eyes in examination. It felt like someone else was in here with me. _It has to be my imagination. After everything we've been through, it's no wonder why I'm so nervous._

Hesitantly, I lay down on the bed. Immediately, exhaustion crippled my body and I fell asleep before Daniel returned.


	7. Discovery

Chapter 6: Discovery

I woke up, only to see Daniel towering over me. He was staring at me in amusement.

"Were you really that tired?" He said tauntingly, "You were dead asleep by the time I got back." With a yawn, I crawled off the bed reluctantly.

"Where's Isabelle?" I asked.

"She's still by the fountain. Apparently, it's fascinating to her." He replied coolly before turning away to examine the trashed room. After a moment of silence, the man circled back to me.

"How's your shoulder?" He asked in a hushed tone.

"I-it's fine." I lied. Actually, it hurt like hell, but I didn't want him to worry anymore. I was sure that Daniel was tired of taking care of me. I had been injured enough by now, and I was positive that my shirt was completely torn from the amount of times I had been clawed. It must've been ripped, for Daniel raised a brow.

"Here, put this on." He tossed me a white shirt that was lying on the ground. Catching it in one hand, I glared at Daniel with suspicion.

"Fine, I'll leave." He retorted before marching out of the room. With a sigh, I slipped on the new shirt. Fretfully, my gaze flickered across the room, the sudden feeling of paranoia seeping in. With a sigh, I went off to find Daniel. He was waiting just outside the Guest Room.

"Took you long enough." He snorted with exasperation.

"I wasn't _that_ long," I retorted.

"Yeah, sure." He sighed, "Let's go get Isabelle." I nodded and we sauntered down the staircase. She was still sitting by the fountain, gaze absent. When we drew closer, her head shot up. Isabelle glared at us until we were right beside her.

"What do you guys want?" She snapped, obviously irritated.

"We're going to go explore the rooms," Daniel replied, unfazed by her rude tone, "We still haven't thoroughly checked the Guest Room."

"Then you two can go by yourselves." She muttered. Disconcerted, I nudged Daniel and we left Isabelle's presence.

"What's gotten into her?" He whispered in my ear.

"She's probably tired of everything that's been going on." I replied with a shrug. Daniel didn't reply as we reentered the Guest Room. We went into the section with the bed when Daniel suddenly stopped.

"What's wrong?" I asked worriedly.

"There's a crowbar on the table. How did I not see that?" He sounded frustrated as he walked over to pick up the crowbar.

"What's that doing in here?" I said inaudibly. I watched as the russet-haired man examined the piece of metal before turning back to me.

"I know what this is for." He said flatly before exiting the bedroom. He stalked over to the remaining door in the Guest Room. With a grunt, Daniel shoved the crowbar in the hinges of the door and pried it open. Suddenly, his eyes glazed over like the time in the Archives.

"Hey, are you alright?" I stammered. Slowly, his gaze turned towards me. The color was back in his emerald eyes.

"There's a key somewhere in here." He replied hesitantly, as if doubting his words. Just as I opened my mouth to speak, a growl sounded from behind us. We didn't linger for a moment; both of us frantically scrambled inside the nearest wardrobe. Sweat poured from my forehead as I listened for any sounds besides Daniel's breathing. I could hear the monster slashing its way through the door, searching for any victims. After an agonizing moment of nothing but fear, I heard the horrifying beast leave.

Daniel let out a long sigh of relief before climbing out of the wardrobe. He waited for me.

"That thing is _really_ persistent, isn't it?" He said with a slight chuckle.

"How can you be laughing about that?" I replied with provocation. He shot me a grin that only sent fresh waves of anger throughout my body.

"You, Felix, are the angriest person I have ever met." He sneered.

"I have every reason to be," I shot back, "I'm stuck with _you._"

"Ow, that hurt my feelings." Daniel pretended to cry before breaking out into a fit of laughter. I couldn't help but smile either, but then I remembered something.

"Didn't you say there was a key in here?" I asked. Daniel stared at me for a moment before nodding. He turned away from me and began to tear the room apart, desperately searching for the key. In his frenzy, the man knocked a painting off of the wall, only to reveal a small compartment.

"Hey, Daniel, it's right there." I pointed toward a small glass jar. Sure enough, there was a key inside of it. The man picked up the jar and smashed it. Glass flew through the air as he reached for the key.

"It says Machine Room." He said aloud, reading the label on the small piece of metal.

"Then is our next stop the Machine Room?" I asked.

"No, we still need to go to the Study then Storage." He replied sternly before heading towards the exit. I followed quietly, pondering to myself. _I wonder what's going to happen next. I think I should ask Daniel _why_ we are heading deeper into the castle. I still have no idea why Isabelle and Daniel want to. Why don't we just try to leave?_

"Hey, Daniel?" I asked as we stood on the balcony, gazing at the fountain. Isabelle was gone, probably off exploring.

"What's wrong?" He turned toward me, emerald eyes glittering with concern.

"Tell me something." I said quietly.

"What is it?" He whispered.

"Why are we going farther into the castle?" I asked. He seemed taken aback by my question. For a moment, his eyes were full of different emotions, until they settled on one.

"Do you really want to know?" He breathed.

"Well, I'd like to have a reason instead of blindly following you and Isabelle." I snapped. He sighed, as if revising his answer.

"Well, when I woke up in this castle, I had no memories. None. That was until I found a note. It told me to go to the Inner Sanctum of this castle and murder a man named Alexander. Apparently, Isabelle is in a similar situation."

I listened, wide-eyed, as Daniel continued to speak. When he finished his long speech, I shot him a look of contempt.

"Why do you want to _murder_ him? You're going through all this danger just because a _note_ told you to?" I hissed. "How stupid can you be? I can't believe you didn't tell me earlier! _Why_ didn't you?"

Daniel was obviously caught off guard by my sudden outburst of anger.

"Well-,"

"Do you have any _more_ secrets you want to tell me?" I interrupted, seething with anger. I knew I was overreacting, but I was really distraught. Even I was bewildered from my reaction. _What the hell is wrong with me? Calm down!_

"Well, I'm afraid that if I tell you anything else, you'll bite my head off! Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm leaving now." Daniel whipped around and sprinted towards the Study. I watched him go, fury slowly withering. Once he was gone, I let out a sigh of frustration and stalked towards the fountain.

_I wonder what Isabelle is up to._


	8. Darkness Waits

Chapter 7: Darkness Waits

I found Isabelle near the door that lead into Storage. She was sitting near it, gaze lost in thought. When I approached, her aqua eyes shot up and glared at me.

"What do you want?" Could there be any more hatred in her tone?

"I want to talk with someone." I replied, voice quivering. She seemed surprised at my tone. I guess I still sounded upset from my conflict with Daniel.

"Is something wrong?" She asked. All malice had vanished from her voice and was replaced with actual concern.

"Nothing too important," I lied, "Do you want to go exploring together?"

She was obviously taken aback by my question. "Why don't you go with Daniel? You two have been inseparable."  
"We got in an argument." I stated. "So, answer my question."  
"Uh, sure." Isabelle sounded confused, "Want to go into Storage? I've been wanting too but you and Daniel have been elsewhere."

"Sounds good." I shrugged. The woman climbed to her feet and opened the door. We were greeted with a sudden gust of wind, sending chills along my skin. Isabelle didn't seem to take notice of the strange gust, for she descended down the staircase and into the darkness.

_I'm awfully sick of darkness._

I followed Isabelle reluctantly. This darkness didn't seem natural; it seemed alive and abnormal. Something about it really terrified me. Isabelle turned to me, aqua eyes betraying her sense of fear.

"This place feels different," She whispered. I nodded, agreeing with her words.

"We should be extra careful." I replied in a hushed tone. She glanced at me before taking a step forward. The hall expanded into some sort of room. To my left was a door, to my front was more darkness, and to my right was a staircase leading down.

"Let's start over there." I stated, pointing to the door to my left. Isabelle didn't say a word as we walked over. I reached out and pulled open the door, only to see it was some sort of storage. The place was full of shelves and boxes. It was almost impossible to see, but I could make out something on a shelf. Walking over, it looked like some sort of drill part.

"What's this?" I said to myself, picking up the piece of metal gingerly. When my hands grazed the drill part, my heart almost stopped when a growl sounded from behind us. Isabelle let out a hiss of exasperation and crouched down behind a barrel. I followed, pressing close to her. We stayed silent for a few terrifying minutes, listening as the monster entered the room. When it left, I let out a long sigh of relief.

"L-let's just keep going." Isabelle stammered before leaving the room with extra caution. The beast had obviously left, but now the place had scared me even more.

We decided to go down the staircase next. When we reached the end, the room was different than the last. Massive barrels were lining the walls; a few doors were hidden in the gloom. Narrowing my eyes, I stalked over to one of the barrels. The word **Primary** was plastered on the wood.

"Hey, Felix." Isabelle called out, "This barrel says something on it." I whipped around, trying to locate her. When it proved to be futile, I responded.

"What does it say?" I replied.

"**Secondary**." She stated. I thought for a moment, pondering the names. _Primary and Secondary. These barrels must have some sort of use. But what exactly?_

I reached up and tried to open the valve but I noticed it was rusted shut. That's when I realized. _We must have to find the rest of the drill and open these valves._ I jogged over to one of the doors and entered. Sure enough, there was another piece of the drill. But something caught my attention. There was a note on the table next to me. Intrigued, I picked up the fragile piece of paper.

_Alexander,_

_I have prepared the explosives you needed for clearing the flood drain. I can't stress enough how important it is that the mixture is handled with care. Please try to tell your featherbrained servants this before you go ahead with your plans. The liquids are not by themselves explosive and should be kept separated to avoid further mishaps. I have arranged two large vats in the next room for the ingredients. All you need to do is to mix the liquids and you are ready to go._

_~Agrippa_

When I was done reading, I threw the note down and exited the room. I didn't know _why _I needed an explosive but I'm sure there was a reason. I found Isabelle near the **Secondary**barrel.

"We need to get the rest of the drill and make an explosive." I said flatly, grabbing her wrist and tugging the woman along with me. She was bewildered but didn't protest. We began exploring and it didn't take long for Isabelle to find the last part of the drill. Assembling it with ease, the two of us walked over to **Primary**. I jammed the drill into the damp wood, creating a hole large enough for the explosive liquid to seep out.

"Do you have anything to carry the explosive?" Isabelle asked. I mentally smacked myself.

"I didn't think about it," I said sheepishly, "I wonder if Daniel still has the chemistry pot."

"And here I was, thinking you were smart." Isabelle taunted, "We should go find Daniel then." I was about to retort but I kept my mouth shut and nodded. _I really don't want to see Daniel but he has the chemistry pot._

Isabelle and I left Storage and began our search for the young man. We found him near the fountain, gazing into the water with extreme intensity.

"Where were you guys?" His head shot up in our direction, emerald eyes glittering with fright.

I avoided speaking to him. He glared at me with fury before turning to Isabelle.

"We went into Storage but we need the chemistry pot. Do you still have it?" She asked. Daniel lifted a brow before pulling it out.

"Before I give this to you," He said mischievously, "_Why_ do you need it?" I let out a snort of frustration, drawing the man's attention.

"We need to carry an explosive." Isabelle stated. Daniel nodded and handed her the pot.

"I'm coming with you." He said flatly. I let out a sigh. Daniel was the last person I wanted to trek with, but I was given no choice. The russet-haired man shot me a look of contempt before following Isabelle back into Storage.

We made our way back to the room with the barrels in little time. Daniel placed the chemistry pot under the small stream of liquid, filling the pot till about halfway. We then turned toward **Secondary** and repeated the process. The pot was now a shimmering orange, highly explosive and dangerous.

"Let's find out what we have to use this on." Isabelle stated, breaking the eerie veil of silence. We left the room behind in moments. The only place left was to go forward, straight into the wall of darkness.

We began to make our way to the gloomy hallway when Daniel let out a gasp and froze up, eyes glazed over again.

"What's happening?" Isabelle whispered into my ear.

"I'm not sure, but it happens frequently." I replied. Daniel soon snapped out of his daze, sweating slightly.

"Is something wrong?" Isabelle asked. The man shook his head wildly before jogging ahead of us. _Well, that couldn't be any weirder._ I thought as we followed the man.

We descended down a short staircase before the hall lit up. But, our passage was blocked by a rockslide.

"I'm guessing we should use the explosive here." Daniel stated before setting the pot on the ground.

"How do we set it off?" I asked. The man glanced around the dirty room before his gaze landed on a pile of rocks. He walked over and picked up a stone.

"Stand back." He said before tossing the rock at the chemistry pot. The stone hit the pot with a satisfying _clank_. Instantly, the liquid began to fizz and hiss. I bolted up the staircase and hid around the corner, hoping the blast radius wasn't _too_ massive. In a matter of seconds, the air was filled with a loud bang. The whole room trembled at the explosive went off, but after a few moments, the quaking stopped. The three of us climbed to our feet and went back down the staircase.

It had worked.

The rocks were gone.

And now we were greeted with more darkness.


	9. Machinery

Chapter 7: Darkness Waits

I found Isabelle near the door that lead into Storage. She was sitting near it, gaze lost in thought. When I approached, her aqua eyes shot up and glared at me.

"What do you want?" Could there be any more hatred in her tone?

"I want to talk with someone." I replied, voice quivering. She seemed surprised at my tone. I guess I still sounded upset from my conflict with Daniel.

"Is something wrong?" She asked. All malice had vanished from her voice and was replaced with actual concern.

"Nothing too important," I lied, "Do you want to go exploring together?"

She was obviously taken aback by my question. "Why don't you go with Daniel? You two have been inseparable."  
"We got in an argument." I stated. "So, answer my question."  
"Uh, sure." Isabelle sounded confused, "Want to go into Storage? I've been wanting too but you and Daniel have been elsewhere."

"Sounds good." I shrugged. The woman climbed to her feet and opened the door. We were greeted with a sudden gust of wind, sending chills along my skin. Isabelle didn't seem to take notice of the strange gust, for she descended down the staircase and into the darkness.

_I'm awfully sick of darkness._

I followed Isabelle reluctantly. This darkness didn't seem natural; it seemed alive and abnormal. Something about it really terrified me. Isabelle turned to me, aqua eyes betraying her sense of fear.

"This place feels different," She whispered. I nodded, agreeing with her words.

"We should be extra careful." I replied in a hushed tone. She glanced at me before taking a step forward. The hall expanded into some sort of room. To my left was a door, to my front was more darkness, and to my right was a staircase leading down.

"Let's start over there." I stated, pointing to the door to my left. Isabelle didn't say a word as we walked over. I reached out and pulled open the door, only to see it was some sort of storage. The place was full of shelves and boxes. It was almost impossible to see, but I could make out something on a shelf. Walking over, it looked like some sort of drill part.

"What's this?" I said to myself, picking up the piece of metal gingerly. When my hands grazed the drill part, my heart almost stopped when a growl sounded from behind us. Isabelle let out a hiss of exasperation and crouched down behind a barrel. I followed, pressing close to her. We stayed silent for a few terrifying minutes, listening as the monster entered the room. When it left, I let out a long sigh of relief.

"L-let's just keep going." Isabelle stammered before leaving the room with extra caution. The beast had obviously left, but now the place had scared me even more.

We decided to go down the staircase next. When we reached the end, the room was different than the last. Massive barrels were lining the walls; a few doors were hidden in the gloom. Narrowing my eyes, I stalked over to one of the barrels. The word **Primary** was plastered on the wood.

"Hey, Felix." Isabelle called out, "This barrel says something on it." I whipped around, trying to locate her. When it proved to be futile, I responded.

"What does it say?" I replied.

"**Secondary**." She stated. I thought for a moment, pondering the names. _Primary and Secondary. These barrels must have some sort of use. But what exactly?_

I reached up and tried to open the valve but I noticed it was rusted shut. That's when I realized. _We must have to find the rest of the drill and open these valves._ I jogged over to one of the doors and entered. Sure enough, there was another piece of the drill. But something caught my attention. There was a note on the table next to me. Intrigued, I picked up the fragile piece of paper.

_Alexander,_

_I have prepared the explosives you needed for clearing the flood drain. I can't stress enough how important it is that the mixture is handled with care. Please try to tell your featherbrained servants this before you go ahead with your plans. The liquids are not by themselves explosive and should be kept separated to avoid further mishaps. I have arranged two large vats in the next room for the ingredients. All you need to do is to mix the liquids and you are ready to go._

_~Agrippa_

When I was done reading, I threw the note down and exited the room. I didn't know _why _I needed an explosive but I'm sure there was a reason. I found Isabelle near the **Secondary**barrel.

"We need to get the rest of the drill and make an explosive." I said flatly, grabbing her wrist and tugging the woman along with me. She was bewildered but didn't protest. We began exploring and it didn't take long for Isabelle to find the last part of the drill. Assembling it with ease, the two of us walked over to **Primary**. I jammed the drill into the damp wood, creating a hole large enough for the explosive liquid to seep out.

"Do you have anything to carry the explosive?" Isabelle asked. I mentally smacked myself.

"I didn't think about it," I said sheepishly, "I wonder if Daniel still has the chemistry pot."

"And here I was, thinking you were smart." Isabelle taunted, "We should go find Daniel then." I was about to retort but I kept my mouth shut and nodded. _I really don't want to see Daniel but he has the chemistry pot._

Isabelle and I left Storage and began our search for the young man. We found him near the fountain, gazing into the water with extreme intensity.

"Where were you guys?" His head shot up in our direction, emerald eyes glittering with fright.

I avoided speaking to him. He glared at me with fury before turning to Isabelle.

"We went into Storage but we need the chemistry pot. Do you still have it?" She asked. Daniel lifted a brow before pulling it out.

"Before I give this to you," He said mischievously, "_Why_ do you need it?" I let out a snort of frustration, drawing the man's attention.

"We need to carry an explosive." Isabelle stated. Daniel nodded and handed her the pot.

"I'm coming with you." He said flatly. I let out a sigh. Daniel was the last person I wanted to trek with, but I was given no choice. The russet-haired man shot me a look of contempt before following Isabelle back into Storage.

We made our way back to the room with the barrels in little time. Daniel placed the chemistry pot under the small stream of liquid, filling the pot till about halfway. We then turned toward **Secondary** and repeated the process. The pot was now a shimmering orange, highly explosive and dangerous.

"Let's find out what we have to use this on." Isabelle stated, breaking the eerie veil of silence. We left the room behind in moments. The only place left was to go forward, straight into the wall of darkness.

We began to make our way to the gloomy hallway when Daniel let out a gasp and froze up, eyes glazed over again.

"What's happening?" Isabelle whispered into my ear.

"I'm not sure, but it happens frequently." I replied. Daniel soon snapped out of his daze, sweating slightly.

"Is something wrong?" Isabelle asked. The man shook his head wildly before jogging ahead of us. _Well, that couldn't be any weirder._ I thought as we followed the man.

We descended down a short staircase before the hall lit up. But, our passage was blocked by a rockslide.

"I'm guessing we should use the explosive here." Daniel stated before setting the pot on the ground.

"How do we set it off?" I asked. The man glanced around the dirty room before his gaze landed on a pile of rocks. He walked over and picked up a stone.

"Stand back." He said before tossing the rock at the chemistry pot. The stone hit the pot with a satisfying _clank_. Instantly, the liquid began to fizz and hiss. I bolted up the staircase and hid around the corner, hoping the blast radius wasn't _too_ massive. In a matter of seconds, the air was filled with a loud bang. The whole room trembled at the explosive went off, but after a few moments, the quaking stopped. The three of us climbed to our feet and went back down the staircase.

It had worked.

The rocks were gone.

And now we were greeted with more darkness.


	10. A Prison Holds Many Tales

Chapter 9: A Prison Holds Many Tales

I was growing nervous as all three of us entered the elevator. Isabelle waited for a moment before pulling the lever. The elevator gave a lurch before descending downwards. All of us remained silent, tension high in the air. _Something is going to go wrong. It always does._ I thought silently, watching as more and more doors slid past. _I wonder where we're going, exactly._ I was about to ask when suddenly, our descent stopped.

"Is that supposed to happen?" Isabelle asked, laughing timidly. We exchanged a worried glance before Daniel decided to pull the lever again.

"It's not working." His voice barely left his lips before the earsplitting roar came again. The elevator began to shake violently before something cut it loose.

When I awoke, my eyes were blurry and there was a strange ringing in the air. It took a few moments for me to gain my composure and stand up. _What just happened? We were going down the elevator when suddenly-_ I whipped around, desperately examining my new environment. That's when I saw the massive pile of rubble. The elevator had crashed!

Taking a deep breath to calm down, I glanced around, feverishly searching for Daniel and Isabelle. I saw them near the debris, whispering in hushed voices. Letting out a vague sigh of respite, I made my way toward them.

"Are you alright?" Daniel asked, helping Isabelle to her feet. She zealously brushed off the dirt and dust from her crimson dress.

"Yeah, just a little dazed." She replied, glancing upwards at Daniel.

"No concern for me?" I asked tauntingly, appearing from the dusty haze. They both turned toward me, surprise shining in their eyes.

"Oh great, I hoped you were dead," Daniel teased, "I'm glad you're okay." Though he was trying to lighten the mood, something in his tone hinted toward uneasiness. His gaze flickered from Isabelle to me.

"Yeah, sure." I replied with a shrug. Daniel frown at my response but didn't say a word.

"Where are we?" Isabelle piped in. I turned around, examining the room through narrowed eyes. It was hard to see, even with torches lit, but I could make out two large lion statues to my sides. On the opposite end of the room, there was a gate blocked by some debris.

"I think I remember," Daniel said, "This is the Prison." I turned toward the man, wondering how he knew that, but I didn't protest.

"Well, that doesn't sound so good. We should be more careful in here," Isabelle breathed. I nodded distantly, staring at the gate with dread. Beyond the metal bars lay more darkness; thick and suffocating. Disquiet began to flutter in my chest, instantly telling me that beyond the gate was dangerous.

"Let's continue, shall we?" Daniel asked, a stressed tone lining his voice. Isabelle and I followed him to the gate and we spent a few moments rolling the boulders away. When our path was clear, I tentatively opened the gateway, wincing as the old metal creaked and whined.

I waited until my eyes adjusted to the gloom, and quickly realized that our only option was to go right. We were about halfway down the old corridor when the silence was shattered. A scream filled the air, followed by the sound of metal being dragged across stone. We stopped, gazing into the darkness, trying to find the source of the horrific noises. When the sounds ceased, Daniel and I exchanged a glance.

"What the hell was that?" I asked, throwing a look over my shoulder.

"I-I don't know. But it doesn't sound good, does it? Should we turn around?" Isabelle stated.

"We can't turn around. There's nowhere to go. The sounds are gone and we need to keep moving." Daniel said sternly before stalking past me. I looked at Isabelle before following the man.

We turned the corner of the hall, only to see the Prison opened up into more corridors. There was a staircase to our front, darkness lying thick at the top. There were two more halls, one to our left and right. We decided to go right, but the hall was cut short from a rock fall. I let out a sigh of frustration before we turned around. Isabelle was pale in the dim light, shaking slightly. Daniel's eyes were wide, gaze flickering back and forth. _They're both nervous but I can't blame them. There's something ominous about this Prison; I don't like it. It's too cramped in here…_

"Should we go up the staircase or go left?" Isabelle asked, voice quivering noticeably. _Staircases are always bad._ I thought silently, gazing at the stone steps.

"Let's go left," Daniel said flatly. This time, the eerie hall was clear of rocks. There were three metal doors. But the one at the end had blood smeared across the front. We froze, gazing blankly at the smudge of crimson.

"I guess this is where the scream came from," Isabelle said with a taut laugh. Daniel and I cast an anxious glance at the woman.

"Let's just search these rooms quickly," I said before opening the nearest metal door. It was heavy and hard to open, but I managed. The cell before me wasn't anything special. There was a bare bedframe lying against one of the walls. A bucket and chains were the only other things in the cell. But, something caught my attention.

Bending down, I picked up what looked like a hammer. Intrigued, I exited the chamber.

"Hey, look at this," I said before holding up the hammer, "I found it in the cell." Daniel took it from my hand.

"Well, we might need it. I'm gonna hold on to it for now." He said before walking back to the staircase. We paused at the bottom, a feeling of dread filling the air. _Who's gonna go first? It's definitely not me, I've been injured enough._

"Ladies first?" I said with a sneer, turning to Isabelle. She visibly paled, glancing from me to the stairs with apprehension.

"I'll go," Daniel said with a sigh before going up briskly. We followed, Isabelle holding my sleeve with an iron grip. We were almost to the top, and I was beginning to think that our vexing was useless. But suddenly, the beast appeared from around the corner at the top of the stairs. Daniel let out a yell of surprise as he came face-to-face with the horrid creature. The monster lashed out, landing a deep score on Daniel's arm. He yelped before falling backwards. The monster let out a low growl before sprinting down the stairs. I quickly helped Daniel to his feet before bolting down the hall, desperately trying to reach the room with the destroyed elevator.

Casting a quick glance over my shoulder, I saw that I was ahead of my friends. They were frantically following me, but the creature was mere feet behind them. Silently, I willed the two to make it. After a few more hysterical moments, I flew past the gate and hid behind one of the boulders. I could hear Daniel and Isabelle enter the room, but I was too afraid to see where they went. Silently, I listened for the beast. I waited, expecting to hear it smash through the gate, but no sounds came.

"Daniel? Isabelle?" I dared to call out.

"We're here," They replied in unison. Diffidently, I climbed out of my hiding place and glanced over at the gate. It was unscathed, meaning the beast had given up the chase before we even reached safety.

Turning around, I saw Daniel and Isabelle climb off one of the lion statues. Despite our depraved situation, I couldn't help but smile. That was, until, I remembered the wicked creature had injured Daniel. I rushed over to the man, worry gripping my mind. He must've known why I had come over.

"I'm fine, Felix." He said gently, "It wasn't as bad as I had thought." I let out a quiet sigh of relief.

"I think the beast is gone," Isabelle piped in, "We should get going." I nodded in agreement before we set out again.

It didn't take long to reach the staircase, but this time, we were more hesitant in our ascent. Thankfully, no monsters came when we reached the top. But now, there was a labyrinth of hallways.

"Which way?" Daniel asked. I nudged the man to go left. _I wonder what we have to do here. We have a hammer, but what do we use it for?_ There were quite a lot of cells, but I knew we didn't have time to search them all. There _was_ a dangerous beast lurking about, and we needed to move quickly. Finally, Daniel halted and entered a cell.

"We can do just a quick look," He stated before examining the chamber through pale emerald eyes.

"Hey," I interrupted, "There's something under the bed!" Daniel immediately pushed the bedframe to the side, only to see a hole in the rock. In fact, it was a tunnel.

"It's too small to go through," Daniel stated, "Only Isabelle could fit."

"Try using the hammer!" Isabelle said, happy that we were finally making some progress. Daniel gripped the hammer and pounded at the rocks relentlessly, but it made no difference.

"We need something else," The russet-haired man said, breathless. I let out a sigh of exasperation, loathing the thought of staying in the Prison any longer. Isabelle was sharing my frustration, for she gave Daniel an irritated look.

"Hey, I don't like it either." The man said before exiting the chamber. We followed mutely, gazing at the dark hall before us. There were three doors in this hall. _One for each of us to look through, I suppose. Splitting up might be wise here…_ The two must've been sharing the same idea, for they went ahead of me. Daniel took the nearest door while Isabelle wandered into the one at the very end of the hall. I didn't even realize I was alone until ghostly silence began to draw out. Growing panicked, I ran toward the cell that my friends didn't go into. I slammed the metal door shut, suddenly feeling safe. I sat against the cold metal for what seemed like an eternity. That was, until, Isabelle's voice rang out through the Prison, shattering the stillness.

I left the cell, only to see the woman dashing through the halls, making her way back to the cell with the tunnel. She was holding something in her hand. Daniel followed closely, so I did the same. We regrouped in the cell, gazing into the tunnel.

"I found a chipper. We can use the hammer with it and widen the hole," Isabelle said, panting heavily. Daniel went to work again, and this time, it worked. All three of us could now fit.

"So, who wants to go first?" Daniel said mischievously. He looked at me, but then I turned towards Isabelle with a grin.

"You guys are pathetic…" She muttered before jumping down. Daniel and I waited in dreadful silence, wondering if anything horrid was in the tunnel. But then, Isabelle spoke up.

"It's all good," She said, voice echoing. Daniel didn't say a word as he jumped down as well, leaving me alone. Again. With a sigh, I went down as well.

The two were waiting for me. When I landed next to them, they set off down the tunnel. It was hard to see and very narrow. It felt like I was suffocating, the thought of all the dirt and rock ready to collapse made me sick. Finally, the underpass branched off into two directions. Without slowing our pace, all three of us went left. We came across a wall of rocks but I could see light seeping through. Daniel tentatively gave one of the stones a push. It fell, revealing another area beyond. We went to work, removing the wall of rocks until we could climb out of the tunnel.

"W-where are we now?" I asked, taking in my surroundings. It still looked like the Prison, only worse. It wasn't as dark as the previous area, but the space seemed more compact. _Damn…_

"It's the Northern Block of the Prison." Daniel said dully, "Let's hurry up and find our way out of here." When he grew silent, my gaze traveled to the stone walls. There were signs that pointed in different directions. The closest one to me said "Kitchen".

"Hey, let's go this way." I stated before following the arrow. Daniel let out a warning but if fell on deaf ears. The arrows led to a short staircase with a door at the top. I bolted up the steps and went into the Kitchen; Daniel and Isabelle weren't far behind.

"Don't go running off like that!" Isabelle scolded. I ignored her accusing tone and gazed around the new room. It was larger than previous areas. There was a lit fire, shelves full of pots and bags, and more rotten pig carcasses. And at the very end of the room was a barrel full of fizzing acid. The three of us walked over cautiously, treating the acid as if it were some sort of disease.

"Do you still have the chemistry pot?" I asked Daniel.

"No, we lost it the explosion back in Storage," He replied.

"Then we need to find something to carry this, right?" Isabelle asked.

"Yes, but why do we need acid?" I questioned.

"We'll find out soon enough, now won't we?" Daniel smirked before turning to leave the Kitchen. We followed him down the staircase until the monster happened to show up. It appeared from around the corner and immediately ran toward us. Surprised, we bolted back into the Kitchen, slamming the door shut behind us. The horrific beast started to claw its way through, and we barely had enough time to hide before it broke in. We were in the back of the room near the rotten pig carcasses. I could feel bile rising in my throat, the smell getting the better of me. Isabelle looked ready to vomit as well. Daniel had is eyes clenched shut, muttering beneath his breath. After a few dreadful moments of silence, I climbed to my feet and peered out from our hiding spot.

"It's gone…" I breathed. Isabelle then retched. Daniel helped the woman to her feet before we left the Kitchen, _again._ We followed the signs until we were back by the tunnel.

"So, we need to find something to hold the acid, right?" Daniel asked. Isabelle and I nodded.

"Let's keep following these signs," The woman stated, "They will probably lead us to the right place." We spent a great deal of time, though, trying to locate the right sign. I was beginning to feel claustrophobic and nervously bit down on my lip. We had been wandering for what seemed like _hours_ and I knew that a run-in with the monster was due.

We were heading down a particularly long corridor, the dim light cast of from the torches making the place seem even more portentous. There were only two prison doors in this hall, and we were about to pass them when a voice rang through the air.

"Is he safe? Well, it's for his own good." It was a deep, old voice. Daniel stopped in his tracks, as if recognizing the strange noise.

"What was that? Did you say something?" I asked the man.

"I didn't say anything…" Daniel mused. The atmosphere grew tense as we stood, dumbfounded.

"We probably imagined it," Isabelle reassured, "Let's just keep moving. I thought I saw a sign that said Storage. It sounds promising." We followed the woman, keeping silent incase another strange voice came.

Sure enough, we came across an arrow that read Storage. We followed until it led down a staircase. Uneasy, we went down, only to see a door at the end of the dark corridor. I went in first, only to see the room was fairly small. It was full of shelves, but most of them were empty.

"Look!" Daniel said, "Can we use that?" He pointed toward a glass jar sitting on a top shelf. _Can glass even hold acid?_

"It's worth a shot. Do you see anything else that would work?" Isabelle replied. She reached forward and grasped the jar. _Good, now let's get out of here! I'm getting anxious._

We soon returned to the Kitchen, fearful because the door was gone. _The monster shouldn't come twice, should it? _Isabelle dipped the jar into the barrel of acid, being careful not to get the dangerous liquid on her hands. When she filled it to halfway, another low growl came from behind us. _Really? Again? Give us a break!_ I cast a glance over my shoulder, only to see the disgusting beast charging through the door. We didn't have time to hide.

"Run past it!" Daniel ordered, showing a sudden surge of bravery. I thought his plan was idiotic, but it was our only option. We charged at the monstrosity, and it was obviously taken aback by our response. Luckily, that gave us enough time to run past and down the stairs. We weaved through the narrow halls, pausing only to see if we were still being chased. We weren't.

"That was terrifying! _Brilliant_ plan, Daniel." Isabelle snapped, panting heavily.

"Oh, could you have come up with something better?" He retorted.

"Hey, both of you! We got out alive and with the acid. That's all that matters so quit arguing. You're worsening my headache." I interrupted, malice lacing my tone. They were both caught off guard, but nodded vaguely.

"Let's just go see what we need to use the acid on…" I muttered before continuing down the corridor. We were back in the same place where we had heard the strange voice. This time, though, when we passed the two doors, I suddenly felt drawn to them.

"Hey," Isabelle broke the silence, "I want to explore." Daniel looked bemuse at her statement and was about to protest.

"I do too." I broke in. He stared at us blankly, though Isabelle looked grateful.

I watched in dread as Isabelle bolted into one of the cells. I waited and listened, expecting to hear a threatening growl, but nothing came. So, I assumed it was relatively safe. I wandered into the cell next to the one Isabelle had vanished into, taking in the new environment. There was a bedframe flipped over on the broken rock floor. Chains were attached to the walls, obviously meant to hold someone in place. Taking a closer look, I realized the stone walls were tainted with dried blood; alarmingly _large_ amounts too. My eyes widened in recognition. That was my blood. _My_ blood. I collapsed, the whole world going black.

_When I came to, my hands were suspended above my head by a damp rope. Everything in my body ached; the slight throbbing in the back of my head grew irritating. I opened both eyes and waited for my vision to adjust to the gloom. When they did, I saw a man standing a few meters to the left, holding what looked like a leather whip. Eyes wide, I recalled what had happened earlier in the day. The man, Daniel, had dragged me out of my cell and brought me to this strange place. For what: I had no idea. But when he started to walk behind me, I kind of figured it out._

_ "Y-you don't have to do th-this…" I mumbled. The man let out a callous chuckle, gripping the whip tightly. When he raised the device, preparing to strike, my eyes widened. _

_ "Stop, please! I didn't do anything!" I pleaded._

_ "That's what they _all_ say," He whispered, eyes taunting. The man lashed out with the whip, landing a searing blow across my bare back. I let out a choked wail at the sudden blossom of pain and could feel the warm flow of blood seeping out of my new wound. Daniel paused for a few moments, letting my pain subside before lashing again. Clenching my teeth shut, I tried to bear with the agony, but the evil man kept hitting the same wound countless times. He paused one last time and I let out a relieved sigh._

"_Oh, don't think it's over just yet!" He laughed mercilessly, lashing out more and more, hitting my exposed back without any rest._

_I soon lost count of the lashes, but I knew it was many. Feeling lightheaded, my legs buckled and I collapsed onto the bloodied stone floor._

"_Get up!" Daniel snapped, hitting me on the back of the head with his fist. I whined at the burst of pain in my skull, and I tried to obey. But my limbs wouldn't cooperate._

"_I-I can't…" I said, voice slurring. Then he smiled. _Smiled_. Daniel walked away, setting the bloodied whip down on the table. I watched him through narrowed eyes, quietly pondering the man's next actions. He examined the torturous instruments on the table with thought before picking up what looked like a bone saw. When he turned back to me, grinning sadistically, I frantically tried to get out of the ropes._

"_Hey, stop squirming!" He snapped, "You'll only make it worse."_

"_Get the hell away from me!" I screamed as he approached. Daniel tilted his head to one side before raising the saw. He placed it on my left arm, casting a sly glance at my face._

"_I'll do anything; j-just please s-stop." Tears began to stream down my face. He stared at me for a long moment, pale emerald eyes showing no signs of mercy or sympathy._

_Then he grinned again before moving the saw back and forth, slowly cutting into my arm. I started screaming when Daniel sawed deeper into my skin, blood flowing from the wound. Soon, I could feel the saw's teeth grinding against my bone._

_All my energy was gone, I couldn't even scream anymore. Daniel lifted the saw and moved to my other arm. He was about to repeat the process but a door slamming open caught his attention._

"_That's enough, Daniel." It was an old man. I remembered that his name was Alexander._

"_But-,"_

"_Look at him, he's almost dead. I told you we can use this one multiple times. Take him back to his cell." Alexander ordered. Daniel wanted to keep protesting, I could tell, but he nodded and untied the ropes. I collapsed onto the floor, lying in a pool of my own blood._

"_Get up, you filthy swine!" Daniel hissed, gripping my wrist with extreme force. He dragged me through the halls, showing no compassion as he threw me into my cell._

"_There's more coming; be prepared." He said in an eerily calm voice before closing the door and walking away._

When the horrific scene ended, I was left a trembling mess. Tears were streaming down my face as I slowly climbed to my feet. I knew just who to blame now; who to blame all my strange scars on.

Legs shaking with the effort to walk, I sluggishly made my way toward Isabelle's cell. When I entered, Daniel was standing in front of Isabelle, eyes widened in horror.

"I-I swear I didn't know u-until elevator crashed. I swear!" He shrieked. I stalked over and shoved the man into the wall. He let out a choking noise, surprised at my sudden appearance.

"You traitor! You tortured her! You tortured me! You tortured us! You and that bastard Alexander! I never want to see you again. Get the fuck away from us!"

Daniel collapsed against the wall, sobbing hysterically. He was a pathetic mess.

"I swear I didn't know. I swear…" He whispered between sobs. Turning my back on the man, I kneeled down next to Isabelle. She was quivering, terrified by Daniel. _ She must've had a similar memory._ Gently, I grabbed her hand and helped the woman to her feet.

"We should get going." I said soothingly, struggling to control my emotions. She nodded, gripping my hand tighter. But before we left the cell, I turned toward Daniel.

"I should kick you like you did to me," I hissed in disgust, "But I'll be taking this instead." Reaching down, I picked up the jar of acid we had collected earlier. When we had left the cell and Daniel behind, Isabelle finally spoke up.

"So you were the one," She whispered, "You were across the hall from me. I heard you and Daniel arguing." She tightened her grip on my hand until it hurt.

"Yeah, I guess I was…" I mumbled, lost in thought. We soon found the gate that lead to the exit to the Prison. There was an old, corroded padlock loosely attached to the metal. Silently, I poured the acid on the padlock and watched it wither away, giving us access to the door beyond. With one last whine, we left.


	11. Puzzles

Chapter 10: Puzzles

Isabelle and I were awestruck by the massive stone column that rose from the center of the room. The new room was enormous. Moss and slime was growing on the walls, the floor damp. There was a ladder strung above our heads, attached to the pillar. It was blocked by a pipe, but I saw a lever to my right. Light was pouring in from a hole in the ceiling, adding a safe feeling to the atmosphere. Silently, I strode over to the lever and gave it a pull. It was jammed.

"We need to get this working," I said to Isabelle. Her aqua eyes were bleak and lifeless, gazing at the wall with no expression. Ignoring her, I glanced around the room, searching for anything that would get the lever functional. That's when I saw oil leaking out of another broken pipe. Curious, I pulled out the empty glass jar and placed it beneath the stream of oil. When the jar was about half full, I picked it up and returned to the lever. Isabelle watched through tired eyes as I poured the oil on the lever. With a sigh, I gave it another pull, but this time, the lever budged.

Glancing upwards, I saw that the ladder had moved. But the pipe was blocking it from descending any further. Frustrated, I turned away from the column and faced Isabelle. She walked past me and gave the lever one more pull. Surprisingly, the ladder broke through the pipe and touched the ground.

"I guess we're going up," I said to her, but I knew the woman wasn't listening. She was already half way up the ladder by the time I noticed. _What's her problem? I know we discovered something horrible in our past, but we need to move on._ I followed her up the ladder until we were standing on top of the stone column. There was a door to our front, left, and right. But we could only walk to the one to the front, seeing how there was no walkway leading to the others. When we neared the door, I saw a metal plaque that said Control Room.

"Let's hurry before _Daniel_ shows up…" Isabelle hissed with disgust, throwing the metal door open with astonishing strength. I was about to reply but caught myself. _Just ignore her temper, Felix. Don't even talk unless it's necessary. She needs to calm down first._

My thoughts were interrupted when the silence erupted into a collage of working machinery. More rusty pipes were attached to the walls, boxes and barrels were neatly piled in a corner, and there was a desk to my left. The door in front of us, I realized, had a wheel attached near it. To my right and left, of course, were two more doors.

"What exactly are we doing in here?" Isabelle's voice was almost impossible to hear.

"Do you think I know?" I said, harsher than I had intended. She narrowed her eyes at me, anger sparking in those pools of blue. Turning away from her fuming gaze, I entered the nearest door. There were three large metal devices hanging from the ceiling, attached by a chain. They looked somewhat like bells. Closer to the right wall was another device with three wheels on it. Questioning, I paced over to the machine and began to examine it. Soon enough, Isabelle joined me in the room.

I threw a glance over my shoulder before returning my attention to the wheels. I tried to turn one, but it seemed rusted in place. _There might be something to fix this… I should explore a little first._ I thought briskly before shoving past Isabelle. I could almost _feel_ the frustration that was building up inside the woman as I entered the room on the left.

There were more "bells" in here, but this time, the wheels could be moved. I took a moment, gazing around the strange room for any clues. _What are we doing in here? I wish I could find out… Well, the plaque said Control Room, so maybe it's a machine. But a machine that does what? I bet we have to get it working._

While lost in thought, I began to turn the wheels, watching half-heartedly as the "bells" began to move up and down. I stopped when I heard a faint _click_. That's when an idea blossomed. _I bet I have to turn all three of these wheels until I hear the click. Yeah, that's probably right._ And it was.

When all three "bells" had been moved to their proper positions, the Control Room shook violently. The faint sound of working machinery grew suddenly louder; signaling that one piece of the puzzle had been completed.

"What was that?" Isabelle's voice made me flinch.

"I'm making progress, without _any_ help from you." I said, voice thick with malice and irritation.

"What is your problem?" Isabelle asked.

"My problem right now is you." I stated clearly, "You need to get over what happened and focus on the present. I know what Daniel did was horrible, but you need to put it behind you. What's done is done, and we need to keep moving."

"F-fine, what do we have to do?" She sounded hurt, obviously caught off guard from my statement. I glared at her before leaving the room without answering. She let out a hiss of exasperation before following.

We now went to the door with the wheel. Isabelle spun it frantically, and I watched at the door slowly slid open. When she released the wheel, the door began to close. Swiftly, we both ducked under and made it to the other side.

The new room was well lit, making the air seem thick with dust. Broken pipes and pieces of metal were scattered across the room. The wooden floor was broken in some places, along with the ceiling. _This castle is _really_ old, I bet._

"Let's go in there first," Isabelle said, pointing forward. I didn't protest, but when we entered the room, I was completely dumbfounded.

On the wall to my right, there were many pipes attached to the walls. To my left, there was nothing except a few holes.

"Maybe we have to find the pipes that fit?" Isabelle suggested.

"Probably." I replied, "Let's go find some." After a few minutes of searching, we had found some pipes that looked like they'd fit. We returned to the room and set them on the ground.

"In the previous room, I had to mimic the bells. Maybe we have to do the same here?" I wondered aloud.

"Why don't you work on this?" The woman stated, "I'll go into the last two rooms and figure out what to do in there." I was about to protest but she was gone. Letting out a sigh of displeasure, I returned my attention to the new puzzle. Picking up one of the rusty pipes, I placed it on the wall. It attached easily, but I wondered if it was in the right spot. Turning around, I examined the other wall before arranging all of the pipes. They were in the right spots, so why wasn't the machine activating?

Bewildered, I sunk to the ground and stared at the wall._ I was sure that it'd work. Maybe it isn't put together exactly right… Or maybe, I don't have to mimic the other wall? No, that can't be right. But, I guess it's worth a shot._ I began to take the pipes off the wall before carefully rearranging them. After a few moments of dreadful silence, I was done.

"This has to work," I said breathlessly. Surprisingly, it did. The distant sound of machinery now grew deafeningly loud. Isabelle bolted into the room, triumph sparkling in her eyes.

"The machine is working now!" She said, all anger from earlier evaporated. I turned toward the woman, briefly smiling.

"Let's go see what it did." I said before we bolted out of the Control Room. I was thankful to leave the noisy area behind, but there was still a faint ringing in my ears. When we were standing in front of the door, I realized that there were two levers. _How did I miss that? That's probably what the machine activated._ I was right, for when I pulled one of the levers, something came down from the ceiling. It looked like a walkway, for it attached itself to the column. We could now reach one of the doors.

I was about to head over when Isabelle grasped my wrist.

"Wait!" She hissed, "Look over there!" I followed her gaze to the floor, only to be taken aback. It was Daniel, and he was heading our way.


	12. A Kiss

Chapter 11: A Kiss

"What is _he_ doing here?" Isabelle snapped. Could there be _any_ more disgust in her voice? We watched Daniel until he vanished from view. Letting out a sigh of relief, I turned to Isabelle.

"Let's just get a move on. He's gone for now," I said sternly before heading across the walkway. She clearly didn't want to follow, but I knew she didn't want to be left alone.

When we reached the end of the short platform, I saw that our newest area to explore was called the Cistern. _This should be interesting._ I thought grimly before prying open the metal door. Immediately, the light from our previous area was overridden by the darkness. It wasn't _too_ dim in here, but it was still slightly difficult to see. I realized suddenly that the Cistern was full of water. Pillars rose from the center of the room, most old and breaking. I could hear water dripping from the ceiling, splashing into the depths below and adding an eerie atmosphere to the Cistern.

"Do you think that there is another water monster in here?" Isabelle said, voice tense. _This time, I don't have Daniel to carry me._ I mused, remembering the horrible experience back in the Cellar Archives. An injury from one of the beasts had knocked me out cold, and Daniel was forced to drag me through the water. I shuddered at the memory before blocking it out of my mind. At least we didn't have to balance on boxes this time.

"Well, we'll find out soon enough, won't we?" I said, smiling faintly before walking forward. There was a medium-sized stone bridge that led across the water, thankfully, and connected to the wall. There were places to walk, but most of them led into the water at some point. We paused at one edge, gazing at the staircase that led down. We would have to run across the water to reach safety.

"Ladies first?" I sneered, casting a glance at Isabelle. She was gazing intently into the water, eyes searching for any signs of danger.

"Quit being an ass." She said sternly, turning her stare towards me. I laughed before heading down the stairs. I paused when the water reached my shoes and turned back to Isabelle.

"Just run, don't hesitate." She encouraged. I nodded and bolted across the channel before making it to another staircase. Freaked, I sprinted up the steps and let out a sigh of relief. Isabelle soon joined me, breathing heavily.

"What are we doing in here?" She asked.

"I don't know, but I see a wheel over there." I replied, pointing forward. But the only path to the wheel was collapsed in some places. _Great, we have to jump across. I'm not in the mood for falling and becoming monster food._

"There's a sign above the wheel," Isabelle piped in, "Can you read it?" At that, I narrowed my eyes in an attempt to read the rusty words above the wheel.

"It says 'Redirect Sewer Water'." I read before turning to Isabelle. "I guess we have to go over there." She didn't respond, but only walked ahead and jumped across the gap. She landed safely on a column of stone before continuing her journey, and soon enough, she landed by the wheel. I watched in amazement as she turned towards me, smiling brightly.

She didn't falter before spinning the wheel. I watched from my spot, not having moved an inch. Finally, the wheel wouldn't budge any further, and the Cistern changed.

The ground trembled as a massive gust of wind blew through the damp room, its power unbelievable. A few of the torches that were lit extinguished, and soon enough, the Cistern became more menacing. That must've meant we were doing something right.

To my far left, I heard a faint splash in the water, signaling that a beast must've been awakened. _Great, just what we need. _I thought irritably. Isabelle soon hopped over to my side, eyes wide.

"We should go over there next," She stated, pointing at what looked like a drawbridge. Nervously, we waded into the water, keeping an eye out for any monsters. We soon made it to the bridge, but it was suspended. Isabelle threw a rock at it out of frustration, and ended up knocking the bridge down. We made our way to the second wheel and wasted no time in turning it.

This time, though, the Cistern was filled with a peculiar noise. In the distance, it sounded like a man was being drowned. Frightened, I turned toward Isabelle who was staring at me with concern. Her eyes said it all: _do we have to keep going?_

The last wheel was easy to find, but hard to reach. Pipes producing scorching steam were in our way. Isabelle told me to run through it, but I knew there had to be another path. I just wasn't so keen to get in the water and search for one.

So I decided to wait for a moment, and sure enough, the steam paused. I ran through fervently, making it to the last wheel in little time. But when I spun it, it turned off the steam. _Great, so where is the _actual_ one? _I saw it on the opposite side of the channel.

"I'll wait for you by the exit, if you don't mind." Isabelle called out, leaving me alone in a matter of seconds. I didn't even have time to reply before she vanished.

"Great, just great. You're such an amazing friend," I hissed through clenched teeth, making my way over to the last wheel. When I was done, I made my way back through the steam pipes and waited by the staircase. Hesitating, I narrowed my eyes and tried to find where my companion had fled to. I finally spotted her.

Isabelle waited patiently for me across the expanse of water. In order to regroup, I had to sprint across the channel, and frankly, I wasn't too fond of that. Since we had found all three wheels, the Cistern had grown more menacing. All torches had been extinguished, leaving the damp room dark and ominous. I could barely see Isabelle's figure in the gloom, and I was worried that I'd miss the staircase leading to safety.

"Come on, Felix." I heard her heavily accented voice echo, "We need to get going."

"I-I'm coming," I replied shakily. Taking a deep breath, I placed one foot in the water, warily keeping an eye out for the water monster. When no splashes came, I broke into a run.

I jogged past the pillars, praying that I could reach Isabelle safely. But my wish was short lived, for I heard the threatening splash from behind me. With a gasp, I strained to move faster but I stumbled. _Why..? Why must this always happen? _I collapsed into the water with a grunt.

"Felix!" Isabelle shouted, "You need to get up!" I turned around, only to see the invisible footsteps of the monster a few feet away. I _had_ no time to get up. This was it.

I closed my eyes, tears beginning to stream down my face as I waited for the beast to arrive. But things remained silent, except my sobs.

Hesitantly, I opened one eye only to see the water still and undisturbed; as if the invisible menace was never there. Baffled and dazed, I climbed to my feet and trekked toward Isabelle. She was standing on the edge of the stairs, tears forming in her beautiful aqua eyes.

"I-I thought it g-got you!" She stammered. I stood in front of the woman, gazing into her tear-filled eyes. Before I could manage a reply, her lips met mine. I didn't pull away, surprisingly, but wrapped my arms around her waist. She ran a quick hand through my hair before breaking the kiss, aqua eyes shining with worry.

"Don't scare me like that again." She said quietly, removing my arms from around her. I remained silent as she turned away.

_ What just happened?_


	13. Vaccines and Demons

Chapter 12: Vaccines and Demons

We only had two places left to explore, but one was impossible to get to. The stairs that lead down to the Sewer were filled with some sort of toxic fumes, and we couldn't get to the door without serious damage. The green smoke burnt my eyes and throat, forcing retreat.

The other door was unreachable, for the walkway was stuck and wouldn't lower any further. Isabelle suggested that I throw something at the chains supporting the device, and I thought I'd give it a try. I picked up a rock off the damp floor and threw it toward the chains, hoping my aim wasn't off. It struck against the metal, causing the walkway to move toward its actual position. We now had access to the last door.

We paused in front of the iron door, hesitating for a few brief seconds. Who knew what was in here? Looking at the metal plaque above the doorway, I saw that our newest area to explore was called the Morgue. _Yeah, sounds like so much fun._ I thought sarcastically before prying open the door.

The Morgue looked extremely different from the Cistern and the Control room. The walls looked similar to the Prison, but less cramped. There were two hallways: one leading forward and the other leading to the right. A faint stench of rotten flesh hung in the dusty air, but I pushed it aside. We _were_ in a Morgue, so there are bound to be dead bodies.

Isabelle grabbed my hand as we went forward, but I didn't protest. We hadn't talked much since the incident in the Cistern. I was still slightly traumatized from my fall in the water, but I was trying to put that behind me. Shaking my head to dislodge the thoughts, we reached a door at the end of the dark, stone hall.

It looked like a prison door, so I was diffident to open it, especially with the stench of decay growing ever so stronger. After a few more moments of reluctance, I pushed open the heavy door. Instantly, I recoiled at the gruesome sight. Bones, blood, and rotten flesh were strewn across the messy room. The smell was horrible, and I wanted to leave, but I knew that there must be something in here.

I averted my gaze from the remains and decided to do a quick search. There wasn't much in here except a shelf, a collapsed shelf, and the bones. But there _was_ something that caught my interest. It looked like some sort of copper tube, and I picked it up out of curiosity. Seeing how there was nothing else in the foul room, I turned toward Isabelle who was standing in the doorway.

"Let's get out of here," She breathed before leaving. I followed silently until we reached the other hallway. We walked until we reached another door, but at least it didn't look threatening. Isabelle opened the wooden entrance tentatively; peering into the room to make sure it was innocuous. When all seemed good, we entered.

A crack in the ceiling provided light in the new room, allowing us to see without difficulty. To my near right, there was a shelf filled with chemical bottles and glasses. In the far corner was a desk with what looked like a note on it. There were two more doors, but I wasn't in any haste to explore them yet.

But what intrigued me most was the dead body lying on a table against the wall. I was surprised that I didn't feel repulsed or faint as my eyes examined the corpse. _Maybe we have to use it for something…_ I thought before I strolled over to the desk, picking up the note in one hand. When I read it though, I became appalled. The piece of paper said that we'd have to use the blood from the corpse to create a vaccine. The vaccine would allow us to travel through the Sewers and remain unaffected by the poisonous fumes emitted from fungi. Sighing with vexation, I told Isabelle.

"Well, what can we use to extract the blood?" She asked, filing through the shelves for some sort of syringe. I ambled toward the body, realizing that is couldn't be more than a day old. _Who put this here? _I wondered as I began searching with Isabelle.

"Wait," I interrupted the silence, "Maybe we can use the copper tube I found earlier."

"No, it's not sharp enough to pierce skin," Isabelle replied, not pausing for a moment. _But it looks like it could be part of syringe… Wait a second! I still have the needle from back in the Cellar Archives. If I attach it to the copper tube, it can work. But we still need something to pierce the skin._

Putting my makeshift plan into motion, I somehow attached the needle to the copper tube and showed it to Isabelle. Her gaze revealed nothing, though.

"Wait," She said, eyes bursting with emotion, "Do you still have the drill from Storage?"

"Yeah, why?" I replied, interested in her thoughts.

"Use the drill to make a hole in the corpse's head." She stated, snatching the drill from my hand and impaling the dead body's head. I winced at her sudden belligerence, but didn't say a word as a stream of blood began to flow from the new wound. She took the crude "syringe" from my hand and filled it with the blood before handing it back to me. I stared at it for a while, anxiety slowly building up.

"Just do it already!" Isabelle snapped, impatience thick in her voice. So, I did. I winced as the "syringe" pierced my skin, the blood seeping in. After a few moments, I pulled it out and tossed it to Isabelle. She repeated the process in little time.

"Can we leave now?" I asked, staring at the exit. The woman nodded, but as we neared the door, a low, unearthly moan came from the other side. Then, something started breaking its way through the door. I grabbed Isabelle's sleeve and bolted into one of the rooms we hadn't examined, not taking a moment to see _what_ was trying to enter the Morgue.

The room we decided to hide in was filled with more dead bodies. They were piled at the center of a water filled floor, but I didn't want to look anymore so I faced the wall. Isabelle pressed against me as we crouched in the far corner, praying that our unwelcome guest wouldn't wander in here. I strained to hear where it was, but all I could hear were metallic noises; like that of dragging a sword across the ground.

After several agonizing minutes, the noises faded, signaling that the beast had left. Isabelle let out a long sigh before standing up. I noticed that she was trembling, but I didn't say a word until we left the Morgue. We were now at the top of the stone column, gazing in the Sewer's direction.

"What was that? That sounded like a different monster!" Isabelle finally broke the pressing silence.

"I don't know, but I think that's what got me in the Refinery. Remember my shoulder?" I said, recalling the horrid memory. She didn't reply, but instead, headed for the ladder. I assumed that the woman was on her way to the Sewers: the only place left to go.

And it sounded far worse than the Morgue _or_ the Cistern.


	14. Reunion

Chapter 13: Reunion

The stench was horrible, and it only worsened as Isabelle and I descended down the ladder that lead further into the Sewer. When I reached the end, I jumped off and landed in the filthy water with a loud splash. Waiting patiently for Isabelle, I turned around to examine the new area. It was difficult to see, for the green fumes of the poisonous fungi clouded the air. _It's a good thing we got that vaccine before coming here…_ I stated mentally. Isabelle, who had joined me in the water, latched onto my arm before we set off down the passage. I winced at each splash we made while trekking through the channel, knowing that some sort of monstrosity was probably down here. And I was right, unfortunately.

When we were a few meters away from the ladder, the familiar unearthly wail sounded from our front. Isabelle and I froze, glanced at each other, and then bolted for the ladder. The sudden splashes from our fleeing footsteps caught the attention of the beast, for I could hear it charging towards our location. Luckily, Isabelle and I were at the top of the ladder when it reached the base.

"Ha, try and get us up here!" I taunted, suddenly feeling mischievous. I could barely see the silhouette of the horrific monster, for the toxic fumes clouded my vision.

"Felix, if you mock the thing, it's not going to leave…" Isabelle scolded, nudging my arm.

"I'm sorry, but when am I ever going to get another chance?" I retorted, averting my gaze from the demon. Isabelle stared at me, eyes intense and demanding. With a sigh, I stopped my jeering and waited patiently for the monster to lose interest. After several grating minutes, I heard the fiend splash away and vanish into the haze.

Isabelle tentatively climbed down the ladder, and when all was clear, she gestured for me to follow. We were cautious as we made our way down the channel, keeping a close eye out for anything dangerous. Finally, the narrow passage opened into a much larger room. To the front was what looked like some machine. It was spinning with lethal speed, but I could see there was an area beyond the deathtrap. To our left was another passage, same with the right. We decided to go right, for a reason I did not know.

After a few moments, the silence was disrupted when the sound of trickling water came into earshot. I jogged over, trying to pinpoint the source. I was surprised to see a pipe protruding from the slime-covered wall, broken in the middle. Isabelle said that we might need it, but I was uncertain. Why would we need a pipe? But then again, things hadn't made much sense lately.

Without further protesting, I broke off the pipe and handed it to Isabelle. We explored the passage for a few more minutes, but nothing had caught our interest. We soon made our way back to the large room with the dangerous machine and then headed down the only other channel.

The passage twisted and turned, making me feel like I was caught in a labyrinth. We passed by two doors, one blocked off by a rock fall. The other had a ladder attached to the wall, but it was broken halfway and unreachable. We kept walking until our path cut directly to the left, leading up a staircase. We followed doubtfully, but my hesitation was erased when I heard the familiar noises of working machinery. Isabelle pushed open the door, and it was revealed that the new room was quite small. There were large, rusty pipes protruding from the walls, and in the corner, was some sort of mechanism.

On the machine were two levers in the far corners. Below the levers was some sort of pattern. It looked like gears. _I bet this is what stops that spinning device._

Silently, Isabelle and I went to work, arranging the levers in different positions until the sound of machinery quieted.

"I think we did it!" Isabelle exclaimed. I smiled in triumph before turning to leave the room. Isabelle followed quietly as we sauntered down the staircase, back towards the filthy sewage water. We were about halfway down the passage when the air filled with the sound of metallic clicks and scraping. Isabelle and I paused, wondering faintly what the source of the noise was. Our thoughts were answered when a sudden growl sounded from behind us. _Oh no, not now! We're wide out in the open!_ I thought, grabbing Isabelle's hand before rushing forward. Our sudden movements alerted the monstrosity, for I heard it giving chase.

We winded through the maze of channels until the ladder that lead to safety was in view. _We're gonna make it! We're gonna-_ My thoughts were cut off when Isabelle lurched forward, falling face-first into the soiled water. I didn't have time to slow or react when my foot caught under some sort of vine, shattering my balance. I joined my friend in the water, desperately trying to free myself.

"Felix!" The woman cried, "I'm stuck! My foot is stuck under something!" She was on the verge of tears. I didn't reply, but only gasped when the monster erupted out of the green haze. When it saw that its prey was trapped, the demon slowed to a walk. I turned away and gave up my desperate attempt to free myself. Isabelle started sobbing hysterically, but her cries were interrupted when the monster started bellowing in agony. Immediately, I turned to see what was happening.

The beast's head was _disintegrating_! I could see acid dripping from its sickly green skin, falling into the water below. The demon staggered back, frantically clawing at its face in a futile attempt to save itself. After a few moments, it dropped into the water, obviously dead.

But who had saved us?

I was more surprised when _Daniel_ peered around the corner, holding an empty jar in his hands. He threw the jar away and rushed over to us, fervently helping us from our entrapment. Finally, my foot was free and I climbed out of the water. Daniel took a few steps back, uncertain about our feelings toward him.

"T-thank you…" I stammered. "We'd be dead if you hadn't come along." Daniel smiled in acknowledgement before turning his gaze toward Isabelle. I noticed that she had remained silent. _Oh great, she hasn't gotten over the memory, has she?_

"Thanks…" The woman said sheepishly.

"I couldn't stand by and watch my friends get slaughtered," He admitted, casting a glance at the dead monster.

"Maybe we should put our feelings behind us and stay together," I suggested, "It's not very wise to be split up." I looked at Isabelle, hoping she'd agree. I was thankful when the woman nodded, and I spotted the ecstatic gleam in Daniel's eyes.

We stood in front of the spinning machine, but this time it was moving much slower. Isabelle pulled out the pipe that we had found earlier and jammed it in the corner, stopping it completely. We now had access to the channel beyond, but something about it seemed more ominous.

Daniel had remained silent, and I knew he was nervous being in our presence. _I can't blame him, really. After what happened in the Prison, I'm still shocked that he'd save us…_

We crawled through the metal rotators, carefully making our way into the new passage. When we reached the other side, I realized that there was only one way to go: forward. But I wasn't so keen on doing so, for the poisonous haze was too thick. _It's almost acting as darkness, the fumes._ I thought as we cautiously wandered into the narrow passage. I knew I shouldn't feel so apprehensive, seeing how Daniel had killed one of the monsters, but something about this place set me off.

We were halfway down the channel when it came to a dead end. The passage was blocked by iron bars. The only place we could go now was up the staircase to our right. _Stairs are never good…_ I thought incredulously as we neared the door at the top. But when we opened it, I recoiled.

The room was almost entirely covered in what looked like red slime. But when I saw a dead demon on the floor, I became intrigued. It looked like the jaw monster from back in the Prison, but it was cut cleanly in half. Daniel looked away, somewhat disgusted. I took a step forward, but my foot landed in the red slime.

"Okay, what _is_ this stuff? It looks like the flesh that blocked the Refinery." I exclaimed, turning towards my friends. A sudden seriousness flashed in Daniel's pale green eyes.

"I was going to tell both of you eventually, but I guess now is the time," Daniel started, "The 'slime' is the residue from a thing called the Shadow. It's a living nightmare, trust me, and it's been hunting me down ever since my expedition to Algeria. The Shadow is a Guardian of a relic called the Orb. The Orb has immense power, and can be used for anything, really. Ever since I had come in contact with the relic, the Shadow has been after me. Unfortunately, since you two are traveling alongside me, it's after you as well."

Isabelle and I sat in stunned silence, soaking in everything Daniel had explained. _So, this Shadow thing is hunting us down, just because Daniel touched an Orb? Yeah, seems fair._ I thought sarcastically.

"Well, it's nice to have things cleared up." Isabelle stated, "Now, there is nothing in here so let's just keep moving on." I wondered how she could act so calmly after learning something _that_ important, but I didn't say a word.

We were almost to the bottom of the staircase when a loud crash broke the silence. Something had broken through the iron bars! The familiar metallic clicks and scrapes sounded from the foot of the stairs, signaling the arrival of a well-known foe. The three of us didn't hesitate in bolting for the door.

That's when I saw there was nowhere to _hide_ in the room with the Shadow residue. I could hear the metallic monster growing closer, and in panic, I bolted into the back room. There was a corridor that must've lead somewhere, but a rock fall had blocked the only way through. Daniel and Isabelle followed me into the hall and we hid behind one of the rocks. Just in time, too, for the monster started slashing its way through the door.

I held my breath as the demon entered the small area. _It's going to find us! It's going to find us…_ I thought, terror lacing my mind. After a few petrifying moments, the thing strolled away, leaving us alone.

Daniel stood up, examined the room, and then told us it was clear. I crawled out of my hiding spot, thankful to leave the cramped area.

"That was too close," Isabelle muttered, brushing dirt and dust off of her crimson dress. "But at least the monster opened another path for us."

"Let's hurry before it comes back," I whimpered before sprinting out of the room. I couldn't stand to be in it any longer. I re-entered the filthy water and headed down the path the beast had opened. It was unsettling to see how _easily_ it had broken through the iron bars, but I shrugged that qualm aside.

"Is it _ever_ going to move?" Isabelle hissed with frustration, watching the demon with eyes of ire. We were almost out of the Sewers, I could tell, but another monster was standing in front of the way. We had been hiding for several minutes now, hoping that it would lose interest and leave, but luck was not on our side today.

"Someone is going to have to distract it," Daniel said bleakly.

"There's no way any of us are going to go and distract it. That's certain death!" I retorted, "The beast is swift."

"Then what do you suggest, Felix?" Daniel asked, raising a brow. I took a moment to examine the area, searching for anything that could act as a distraction.

"How about we throw a rock?" I proposed, "The splash might attract the thing's attention." Isabelle and Daniel agreed with my plan.

Isabelle climbed down into the water and began searching for a rock, remaining as quiet as possible. She found one resting against the stone wall, and she picked it up gingerly.

"You two, get ready to run." She whispered. The woman made her way toward the monster before throwing the rock as far as possible. It landed a few meters from the beast, catching its attention instantly.

That's when we ran.

We reached the stairs that the beast was guarding, but by that time, it was aware that it had been fooled. More furious than ever, the monster charged after us. We bolted down the hall, slamming open the first door that came into view. The livid monster broke through the door in one swing of its blade, bellowing in frustration as we made it to the last door. Daniel threw it open, letting Isabelle and I in, then slammed it shut. Isabelle went up the ladder first, surprising me with her sudden burst of speed. Daniel insisted that I go next, shoving me towards the ladder. I didn't protest, but followed Isabelle up the ladder and towards safety. Daniel wasn't far behind, but when he let out a scream, I looked down.

The monster had entered the room, growling in rage. Blood dripped from its long, fierce blade. Daniel's face was contorted in pain, but he kept climbing.

"It got me in the leg!" He gasped.

"A-are you okay? Is it deep?" I replied, stopping my ascent up the ladder.

"Keep moving! I'm fine!" He snapped. I knew the man was lying, but I obeyed and followed Isabelle. But when we were halfway towards safety, a familiar roar sounded in the distance, and the ladder began to break.


	15. Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa

Chapter 14: Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa

We collapsed onto the ground, listening silently as the bladed demon roared in frustration from the Sewers. I was thankful to leave that place behind in one piece, but unfortunately, Daniel had been injured.

The wound on his leg was bleeding less now, but it looked deep and agonizing and would definitely slow us down in the future. While Isabelle was fretting over the man, I turned to examine our new environment.

The room we were in consisted of four doors and a well that lead into the Sewers. Walking over, I realized that one of the doors was locked.

"Felix, don't go off by yourself." Isabelle called, "Why don't we rest for a moment? Daniel could use it."

"You two can rest. I want to explore," I said bluntly. Isabelle narrowed her eyes in aggravation but didn't say a word. I opened another door, but it proved useless for I was greeted with a rock fall. Sighing in irritation, I turned to the third door, but this time, it opened up into a dark hallway. I entered, ignoring Daniel's warning, and slowly made my way into the shadows. The hall veered to the right and led into a medium-sized room. Intrigued, I walked in, narrowing my eyes when I caught sight of the two levers.

_Not another puzzle._ I thought with irritation, pulling one of the levers forcefully. But nothing happened. _Maybe it's broken? I guess I'll find out later. I should head back before Isabelle throws a tantrum._ I re-entered the main room, ignoring Isabelle's questioning gaze.

"Did you find anything?" She inquired.

"Just some levers, but the machine they are attached to seems broken." I replied, sitting down by my friends.

"This place seems relatively safe," Isabelle whispered, "You can keep exploring, if you like. Daniel and I will be with you shortly." At that, I immediately rushed to the last door, eager to make progress.

The corridor beyond was dimly lit, making it strenuous to see. I could barely make out the wooden pillars supporting the stone ceiling, but I continued on without doubt. Reaching the door at the end of the passage, I threw it open, wincing as it slammed into the wall. Instantly, everything turned black, except a lone torch lighting a patch of ground. Cautiously, I made my way over to the torch, only to see a massive staircase spiraling into the depths of darkness a few feet away. _Maybe I should wait for Daniel and Isabelle… Who knows what could be waiting down there..? But then again, it's tempting. It wouldn't hurt anyone if I take a peak._ Taking a deep breath, I began to go down, my fear growing with each step.

It seemed like an eternity before I reached the bottom, the gloom completely swallowing my surroundings. It was nearly impossible to see the door to my front, but the dim light seeping through the bottom caught my attention. Gingerly, I opened the entrance, praying that nothing was waiting on the other side. When all remained silent, my uncertainty evaporated and I continued down the lit corridor. When I reached a gate, I could see a staircase veering to the left and leading into some sort of room on the other side. All doubt that had been erased suddenly came flooding back. _I can see something in that room, in the far corner! Something is in there… Should I go back? Or should I continue?_

With extreme hesitation, I opened the gate and slowly made my way down the old wooden staircase. Thankfully, the room wasn't dark and gloomy, erasing some of my fear. There were boxes strewn under the staircase, and to the far right, another gate leading into a much larger room. I could see a table, but what was _next_ to it disturbed me greatly. As I reached the foot of the stairs, I could make out what looked like a corpse. The body was hanging by its wrists in some sort of alcove, rusty metal spikes preventing entrance. My curiosity took control as I hesitantly walked over.

I almost fainted when the "corpse" moved.

"Help me," The man whispered, voice hoarse and weak, "Pull the switch…" I didn't know what the thing was talking about, but taking a closer look, there was some sort of device to my right. I flipped the switch and watched as a green haze seeped out of the metal.

"Thank you, you have my gratitude." The man sighed with relief. Narrowing my eyes, I examined the poor being. Every bone was visible in his body, as if he hadn't eaten in months. All that he was wearing was a small loincloth, and I noticed that his bottom jaw was missing. I was slightly appalled, but this was the first being that hadn't shown any hostility.

"Who are you?" I asked, standing mere inches from the spikes.

"My name is Agrippa. Who might you be?" The man answered.

"I'm F-Felix. Felix Harrington." I replied, growing uncertain. Why was he here? Was Agrippa somehow connected with Alexander? I was about to ask when, suddenly, I heard my friends enter the room.

"There you are!" It was Isabelle, "We've been looking for-," Her voice trailed off, and I guessed that she must've seen Agrippa. I turned around, only to see the two at the foot of the stairs, staring at me like I had grown a second head.

"What are you…? Who is that?" Isabelle stammered. Her eyes were pools of confusion, shining brightly. A few short moments later, I was done explaining to them that the man was actually a friend. They both still seemed skeptical, but I couldn't really blame them. We sat down on the cold stone and waited patiently for the man to continue.

"So, what brings you three to Brennenburg?" He asked.

"I need to stop Alexander," Daniel replied, wincing as if his wound had begun to ache. "He's gone too far."

"Don't worry; Alexander is helpless without an orb." Agrippa laughed.

Daniel groaned, "He has one." I listened quietly as the two conversed, wondering what in the world they were talking about. _I know what an orb is and everything, but I didn't know Alexander had one._

"He has one? That's… that's not very promising at all. The Inner Sanctum is practically impenetrable while guested by an orb. It could be breached by another, but the only other orb I know of was broken a long time ago. You need to find the pieces and mend them together if you wish to access the Sanctum. I believe they are scattered in the Transept and the Choir." Agrippa finished.

"So, I say we should go to the Transept first." Isabelle stated, climbing to her feet and glancing around the room. "Where is it?"

"Let's take a look around, shall we?" Daniel asked, struggling to get to his feet. Isabelle helped the poor man and we made our way to the gate that leads into an unfamiliar zone.

"Wait!" I practically shouted, "What about that broken machine I found earlier? It has to be of _some_ use."

"That's not important right now. We have to get to the Transept." Daniel replied flatly before opening the gate.

"Then I'm staying behind, I want to fix it." I snapped before stalking back towards Agrippa, ignoring Daniel's protests. _To be honest, I just don't want to leave this place. It feels… safe. They can get the orb pieces. I've done enough already._ I knew I was being selfish, but who wouldn't want to stay here? I watched as my two friends vanished into the unknown area, muttering quietly. With a sigh, I turned back to Agrippa, wondering how to fix the machine. That's when I noticed the trapdoor above the table.

"How did I miss that?" I scolded, climbing on top of the table and throwing the trapdoor open. I was surprised to see four cogwheels. Three were spinning, like they should, but one in the middle was out of place. Carefully, I slid the metal piece of machinery back into its proper position, feeling relieved as it began working. _Maybe the levers upstairs work now? I'll go take a look. It's not like Isabelle and Daniel are going to be back soon._

I was right, the levers were fixed. I pulled the devices upward, hoping it was the right position, and quickly made my way back down the spiral staircase. When I re-entered the room with Agrippa, I was surprised to see two new corridors leading off into darkness. The levers had opened up more rooms! _Should I wait for Daniel and Isabelle? Who knows when they'll be back…? But, going off by myself into some unknown place isn't the wisest idea. I'll just go see if Agrippa has anything else to say._

I sat on the table below the working gears, patiently waiting for my friends to return. The silence was beginning to get the better of me, and I started pacing around the room in anticipation.

"Felix," Agrippa said, startling me, "If you really are going after Alexander, would you consider taking me with you?"

"What, do you expect me to carry you?" I sneered.

"I know it sounds ridiculous, but please, if you find anything concerning a man named Johann Weyer, would you bring it to me?" He was almost begging.

"Fine, I'll see what I can do." I replied, just as a loud crash sounded to my right. Alarmed, my gaze flickered over to the location, dreading the sight of something horrendous. When my eyes landed on Daniel and Isabelle, I almost let out a sigh of relief. That was, until, I caught the infuriated gleam in their eyes.

"What-,"

"Next time, you selfish bastard, you're coming with us!" Daniel snapped, limping over until he stood a few feet away. Isabelle and the man were panting heavily, as if they were chased.

"While you were in here, getting all cozy, we were being chased by another monster! It ambushed us in the Chancel." Isabelle yelled, gasping for air.

"How was I supposed to know?" I retorted.

"Just, _shut up_ will you?" Daniel jeered. I was taken aback by their sudden flow of anger, in fact, it almost made _me_ livid. _How was I supposed to know that there was a monster in the Chancel? It's not my fault! They could've forced me to come along…_

"Why don't we just get to the Transept," Isabelle muttered, "I want to get out of this castle as soon as possible."

And that was something we could all agree on.


	16. The Torture Rooms

Chapter 15: The Torture Rooms

The Transept was oddly familiar, as if I had already seen the spiraling staircase vanishing into the ceiling, or the cages hanging from the stone roof. The large windows casting an eerie blue tint to the atmosphere also caught my attention. _Have I… been here before? _Tossing a hopeful glance at my companions, I noticed that Daniel seemed jittery. He was avoiding my gaze, directing his emerald eyes elsewhere. I was about to speak, but Isabelle interrupted.

"Agrippa said that there are orb pieces in the Transept and the Choir," She started, "There are three rooms in here, so I say we should split up."

"B-but that's not the wisest thing to d-do." Daniel stammered. Now I definitely knew something was wrong with the man. Did he know something that we didn't? Something about the Transept was obviously putting the man on edge, but what? Turning my attention back onto the main room, I stared for a moment longer, ignoring my friends as they began to make their way toward the staircase. That's when the memories came flooding back.

_My cell door creaked open, allowing light to flood into the small chamber. Two men stood in the doorway, nothing more than silhouettes in my blurred vision._

_ "This one." One of the strangers said, voice deep and elderly. His companion entered my prison, reached down, and grasped my arm firmly._

_ "Don't you dare touch me!" I spat, only to receive a stinging blow across the face. While I was stunned, the two dragged me from the cell and onto the walkway beyond. The older man tied my wrists together, ensuring that I wouldn't make any attempts to fight. That's when I was led away._

_ Only when we entered the room with the cages hanging from the ceiling, did I begin to struggle. Desperately, I tried to twist my way out of the bindings, knowing that I was being escorted to the torture chambers._

_ "Stop it!" The younger of the two hissed, raising his hand to strike. _

_ "Please, p-please don't take me!" I pleaded, "I haven't done anything!" My claims were ignored, and we soon entered the room on the far right._

_ "I'll let you take it from here, Daniel." The older man said, leaving the two of us alone. Daniel reached for my arm, but I swatted him away._

_ "You aren't going to hurt me!" I snapped. His emerald eyes were instantly alive with irritation and abhorrence, causing me to flinch at his sudden anger. He reached toward the table filled with torturous instruments and grabbed the whip before striking me over the head with the handle. The sudden blossom of pain caused my legs to buckle, and while I was on the floor, Daniel lashed out again. This time, everything went black._

"Felix, are you going to stand there all day?" Isabelle called out, voice snapping me out of the memory. Speechless and stunned, I turned my gaze toward the woman, unsure of how I'd explain what I just recalled. I could hear her let out a hiss of frustration, but Daniel, who was by her side, remained silent. _There's no way in hell I'll go any further. This is where I was whipped, and frankly, I don't want to see that place ever again._ I turned around and made my way toward the exit.

"Hey, get back here!" She yelled, "You aren't leaving us again." The woman was _really_ starting infuriate me. I stood in front of the door, listening as she shouted and complained, telling me that I was a coward and selfish. _Isabelle, would you be kind enough to shut up? For once?_ I realized that if I left, I'd never hear the end of it. With a long sigh, I whipped around and stalked over to the stairs, casting a glance at Daniel. The man averted his gaze to the floor, avoiding my wrathful eyes. When I turned to Isabelle, her face was lit up with triumph.

"The quicker we explore, the quicker we get out of this hellhole." She sneered. _I wonder what happened to you. I thought you had changed after the kiss in the Cistern, yet now you've become even worse…_ I mused as we headed for the door on the far left. Daniel gingerly opened the door, and we were greeted with a dark hallway. The three of us were silent as we made our way down the gloomy path, stopping only when another door came into sight. It looked similar to the ones in the prison: heavy, metal, and with a barred window at the top.

Hastily, I threw the hefty door open, only to recoil when I saw the device. In the center of the room was a small table. Above the table was some sort of pulley-system; shackles hanging loosely at the end. At the foot of the table were more shackles, and to the right of the room, was a wheel.

We were all disgusted, but faintly wondering what the device actuallydid. Daniel was shaking, obviously uncomfortable about our environment, but didn't complain. We searched quietly, tension high in the air. I opened the closet, thoughts in a haze, but when I saw something glowing, I was immediately snapped out of my trance.

"Hey, I found an orb piece." I said flatly, reaching down to pick up the section. The orb's color kept changing at a rapid pace, as if unhappy with just one hue.

"Good, now let's get out of this room." Daniel's voice was barely audible as he took the orb piece from my hands. We didn't hesitate in leaving the chamber shortly after.

After we had made our way back to the main room, we paused. _I don't want to know what's in the other two rooms… I can't remember which one I was taken to, but I don't want to find out. Can't we go up the staircase instead?_

"Let's go into the middle room," Isabelle stated, pointing towards the door that led into who-knows-what. I let out a sigh of reluctance, but followed anyway. _If I don't go along, Isabelle will get even angrier. I don't want to deal with that right now._

We made our way through another dim hallway, but Daniel was stumbling around, eyes glazed over. _Honestly, what is that? A flashback or something?_ I thought, casting a glance over my shoulder at the man. When we reached the prison-like door, color had returned to his emerald eyes.

"Okay, let's not stay too long in here. Just find the orb piece and get out." I said, voice quivering noticeably. I pushed open the heavy door, only to be bewildered when I saw what looked like a pyramid in the back of the room.

The pyramid was relatively small, resting upon wooden stilts. A startling amount of blood was smeared across the old stone floor, and it looks quite fresh too. To my left was a chair, chains hanging above. To my right were a bunch of empty burlap sacks. Nervously, we began searching, clearly avoiding the strange pyramid. It took a few apprehensive moments before Isabelle found the piece.

"Here it is! It was under the bags." She declared, holding the piece up victoriously. _It's like she's oblivious to our surroundings. How can you act so happy while in a _torture_ chamber?_ When Daniel saw that the piece was found, he bolted out of the room, me following closely.

"O-one more door. Then we can go upstairs…" Daniel stammered, casting a quick glance in my direction. I glared at the man, lost in thought, until Isabelle finally joined us.

"Don't go running off like that," She scolded. Daniel and I didn't say a word as she strolled toward the last chamber, holding the orb piece as if it were her child. I followed, uncertainty and fear growing with each step. This time, the dark corridor twisted and turned, seeming to last forever. But when we reached the door at the end of the hall, I froze up. _No, no, no! This is… this is…_

When Isabelle pushed opened the metal door, I immediately recognized the bloodied chamber. I could see the whip in the far corner, the bone saw lying on the table, and the frame that I was tied to. My breath came out as short gasps, and in a panic, I started backing out of the room, only to run into Daniel.

"You _bastard!"_ I screamed at the man, fright running wild. Daniel recoiled, hurt flashing in his pale emerald eyes. All the memories of my torture came flooding back, filling my mind and thoughts with nothing but Daniel and the whip. _Calm down, Felix... Just calm down…_ Trembling, I collapsed onto the floor, ignoring my friends' overwhelmed stares. After a moment of awkward silence, they began searching for the last orb piece, leaving me be. When Daniel found the piece, he left the room, leaving Isabelle alone with me. She walked over, grabbed my hand gently, and helped me to my feet.

"You're alright, Felix." She said soothingly, "I'm here for you."

"I'm sorry; I couldn't help but yell at him…" I said, voice barely a whisper. Isabelle nodded, leading me out of the room quickly. Daniel was gone, but I assumed he went up the stairs. We were about to go up ourselves, but our companion appeared.

"T-there's nothing special up here," He called, rushing down the stairs and to our side. "The only thing that seemed relatively important was some thread."

"I think we got all the orb pieces that were in here," Isabelle replied, "We should get going now." The woman cast a glance over her shoulder at me before heading towards the exit. I followed silently, thoughts a blur. If the Transept was _this_ horrible for me, what would the Choir be like?


	17. Torn

Chapter 16: Torn

The note baffled me. It talked about something called Tampter: the saliva of a water-dwelling menace we were all very familiar with. Another interesting ingredient on the list was called Vitae, which was apparently the blood of a tortured being. The thought of it made me grim, but I didn't say a word. The last thing on the note was a poison gland from fungi. _Does that mean we have to go back to the Sewers? No, we can't. The ladder broke when we made it to the top. Maybe it's somewhere else?_

What interested me most was the title written at the top of the old piece of paper. It read: **Agrippa Channels Weyer.** _Oh, I remember! Agrippa asked me to bring him anything that had to do with Weyer. So, this note must be of some importance. Maybe we have to gather these ingredients, but what are they used for?_ I was about to continue reading when Daniel placed a hand on my shoulder.

"Felix, hold onto that note. We'll focus on it after we find the orb pieces in the Choir." Daniel said, exiting the small room that we had found the paper in. I was reluctant to follow, for I wanted to finish reading, but I didn't say a word. We continued down the ominous corridor, twisting and turning with the walls, until we reached the door that lead into the Choir. We went in with no hesitation, pausing only to take in our new surroundings.

The Choir Entrance was just a long hallway, lit by candles lying against the wall. I could see the wooden floor dip down to our front, indicating that there was a staircase leading somewhere. I could also see two doors, and we slowly made our way over to them. Isabelle and I went to the one on the right, while Daniel went by himself into the other one. A quick examination of the room proved that it was useless.

There was some sort of table with shackles on it in the center of the room. The floor was painted with a strange symbol, and I vaguely wondered what it meant. Two tables line the wall, filled with tools and other devices that I knew where used in some sadistic way. Other than that, it was practically empty.

I glanced at Isabelle before exiting the room, making my way over to Daniel. When I saw the man, I stopped cold. He was standing in front of the torture table, shaking uncontrollably, and frozen in place. He was reaching for objects that weren't even there, muttering under his breath and acting abnormally. Isabelle and I watched in stunned silence as Daniel turned towards us, grinning evilly. That's when I noticed his eyes: they were glazed. After a few more moments, he soon came to a halt, color flooding back into his emerald eyes.

"Daniel, are you okay?" Isabelle rushed over to him, voice laced with concern. I stood in the doorway, watching her fret over the man in silence. Daniel convinced the woman that he was alright, but I could hear his voice quivering in fear. _I wonder what he remembered… I doubt it's that important, though. We should get moving._

"Come on, let's get to the Choir." I stated, gesturing towards the staircase. Isabelle shot me a look of contempt, which caught me off guard._ What did I do now?_ Daniel nodded in agreement, setting off toward the metal door that lead into the new area. We were far more uncertain in opening the entryway, dimly wondering what horrors awaited us. Daniel cast one last look at me before opening it.

I was awestruck at the sheer size of the Choir, even though it was nearly impossible to see. It wasn't dark, just excessively misty. Massive columns rose from the ground, vanishing somewhere into the ceiling. I could see more pipes running across the roof, and in the distance, more spiked cages. After a few minutes of gazing at our new environment, Daniel took a step forward, only to come catapulting back when the silence shattered with a voice.

"What are my intentions, Daniel?" A deep, elderly voice rang out through the Choir, "Salvation. It used to be yours, but now you seek only misplaced revenge. How do you justify your actions? Is it for the greater good? Are you doing the world a service? It is you who caused all this pain and death. If you had accepted your fate and submitted to the Orb when you first found it, none of this would've happened. It is curiosity in league with your selfishness that's killing us both."

"Who… What was that?" I asked, frantically looking around the room in an attempt to pinpoint the voice. Daniel's expression was a collage of anger, confusion, and dejection.

"That was Alexander," He replied flatly before continuing into the red mist. Isabelle and I were baffled.

"But, he's in the Inner Sanctum. How could he talk to us?" Isabelle and I asked in unison, but our question was cut short when a familiar unearthly moan sounded from our front. I could see the faint silhouette of the bladed monster heading our way. That's when things exploded into chaos.

In panic, we all bolted in different directions. I saw Daniel run to the right, vanishing into the mist with Isabelle. I sprinted to the left, using the wall and pipes to guide me. I kept running until I could no longer hear the metallic scrapes and clicks that the monster produced. Slowing to a halt, I realized that I was all alone. _Damn… Isabelle and Daniel ran off in a different direction, so I have no idea where they are. I guess I should just continue looking for the Orb pieces… _ I paused to take in my new surroundings, quickly realizing that there was something to my front.

Thanks to the torches that evaporated the mist, I could barely make out a door. Timidly, I jogged over to the prison-like entrance, peering through the metal-barred window to make sure nothing was waiting inside. It was still too hazy to see anything clearly. With a shrug, I gently opened the door and went inside, making sure to close it behind me. I could make out some sort of object in the gloom, and my uncertainty came flooding back. _Should I go look? Maybe I should wait for the other two… No, they have no idea where I am, it'd take too long. _Taking a deep breath, I entered the room, my eyes never leaving the strange device on top of the short staircase. In my peripheral vision, I could see blood smeared across the ground, staining the stone floor. There were alcoves in the walls, cages hanging loosely from the low ceiling. When I reached the foot of the steps, my gaze wandered around device. It looked like some sort of casket, but it was standing up right and more cylindrical. The face of a woman rested on top of the mechanism, obviously carved in stone. The face was cold, almost expressionless. I was about two meters away when the casket suddenly flew open, eliciting a scream of terror as I flew backward, landing roughly on my side.

"Holy shit…" I panted, climbing to my feet. My sudden burst of terror slowly waned as I made my way back to the casket, mesmerized by the myriad of spikes. _What a way to die..._ I thought, feeling sympathy towards the mechanism's earlier victims. _Now, there must be something important in here. I should get back to looking._ Turning away from the casket, I focused my attention on the alcoves. A faint red glow in one of the nooks caught my attention, and I knew instantly it was what I was looking for.

I reached down to the dirty floor, grasping the Orb piece in my hand with no hesitation. I watched for a moment as the relic changed colors, finding it strangely calming. _Okay, I should get going. I didn't run far, so it shouldn't be too difficult to find my way back. Maybe Daniel and Isabelle are there?_

I made my way to the door with haste, pausing only to make sure no monsters were erupting out of the mist. When all was clear, I retraced my steps, staying close to the wall and letting it guide me. I passed by the strange plants growing from the cracked stone floor, bones and other atrocities tangled in the roots. I could see the bridge in the distance, stating that I was close to the exit. I almost let out a sigh of relief, but a sudden scream froze me in my tracks. I listened as the wail echoed throughout the Choir, keeping still until the sound faded into the distance. _That sounded like Daniel! Did he get hurt? I knew that leg injury would slow him down… I just hope he's okay._

It took a few more minutes until I found myself by the exit. I sat down, unsure if I should leave or wait for my friends. I tensed up as the groan from a very familiar monster sounded to my right, and I reached for the doorknob. I wasn't sure how, but the small movement alerted the demon to my position. It suddenly broke into a sprint, charging over to my location with surprising swiftness. Instantly, I threw open the door, letting out a panicked gasped as I began to stumble. _No, this isn't going to happen again!_ I quickly regained my footing and slammed the door shut before bolting up the staircase. Surprisingly, the monster didn't break down the door.

"That… that was too close," I panted, trying to calm down. I collapsed onto the wooden floor, shaking slightly. I sat there for a few moments before heading back down to the door. _I can't just leave, not yet._ Tentatively, I opened the door, peering into the mist to make sure the demon was gone. When my eyes landed on Daniel and Isabelle, my blood ran cold. _Oh no, this looks bad, doesn't it?_ They paused a few meters away, idling by one of the massive stone columns. Isabelle's eyes met mine, and I could almost feel the anger rising from the woman. I was about to speak, knowing that Isabelle would soon erupt into chaos about my departure, but I was too late. She stalked over, Daniel following closely.

"I've had enough of you abandoning us!" She snapped, "I never knew you were such a coward, Felix!"

"Isabelle, let me explain-,"

"No, I want you to shut up! What if Daniel and I hadn't found you just now? We would've searched the whole Choir for you! And what if you were off elsewhere or chatting with Agrippa? I would've thought you were dead. Quit running off like that. I've had enough of it…"

"And I've had enough of you," I retorted, striking the woman across the face. She let out a yelp of pain, recoiling to Daniel's side almost instantly.

I wasn't prepared for Daniel to hit back, and when he did, my entire skull exploded into pain. I stumbled back, caught off guard by his sudden willingness to defend Isabelle.

"Don't you _dare_ hit her!" He hissed, shielding the whimpering woman from my view.

"She clearly deserved it," I bit back, vision blurred from Daniel's attack. The man stared at me in disgust, clearly wanting to beat me further, but a faint moan in the background told him otherwise. We didn't say a word as we made our way back to the Nave. I trailed in the back, not wanting to face Isabelle _or_ Daniel, seeing how they despised me at the moment.

_I'm such an idiot. _


	18. Hatred

Chapter 17: Hatred

"I forgot to mention that I found something in the Choir," Daniel said. We were back in the safety of the Nave, only a few meters from the stairs that led elsewhere. I kept my distance from the two, uncertain of their feelings toward me at the moment.

"What was it?" Isabelle asked, obviously intrigued.

"Well, I vaguely remembered that the note mentioned something about the poisonous fungi. After wandering around for a while, I came across some of it. After experimenting, I got some sort of gland out of the plant." Daniel said, pulling it out of his pocket.

"I believe that _is_ listed on the note," I said quietly, casting a sheepish glance at my friends. They didn't even acknowledge my comment, for they just continued admiring the poison gland. I let out a brief sigh of exasperation, knowing that they were ignoring me on purpose. _I deserve it. I went too far when I hit Isabelle._

"We should try to get the other things on the list! Well, at least before we deal with these Orb pieces." Isabelle exclaimed. Daniel nodded in agreement. At that, I pulled the slip of paper out of my pocket, reading over the shambolic handwriting in a brief moment. _All we need to get now is the Tampter and vitae. I wonder where we'll find them…_

"We should split up and look for the remaining ingredients. The Choir is off limits, though. I think we've done everything we can in there, and I don't want anyone running into the monster." Daniel said sternly, casting a hasty glance in my direction. Isabelle nodded eagerly, enthusiastic about our new mission. I watched as the two vanished in separate directions, starting the search immediately. Unsure of what to do, I turned to Agrippa.

The man hadn't moved an inch since I had last seen him, and I was almost sure he had died. When I drew closer, he looked up. _I hope he can give me some answers… Maybe he knows what the things on the list are for?_

"You seem troubled…" The man said.

"Yeah, things haven't been going my way lately," I sighed, "But I thought you could help me. I found a note involving Weyer. It talks about these… ingredients. Maybe you know what it means?"

"Ah, I know what you mean. Weyer was working on a tonic; it was supposed to help me. Those things on the note are the ingredients to make the tonic. If you would be so kind, could you track them down?" Agrippa asked.

"I'm already working on it," I replied before heading towards the gate that led into another room. When I entered, I could see two staircases on both sides. They led up to a walkway, and I could see prison doors lining the walls. On the bottom floor, there were more cells, and I couldn't help but feel repulsed. _I wonder who was held in these cells… Those poor people._ I shook my head, trying desperately to dislodge the unsettling thoughts. I decided to head up one of the staircases, only to be dumbfounded when I saw a slab of meat resting on a small table. _What's this doing here?_ I reached down and grasped the meat by the bone, holding it gently. _It's obviously used for something, but what?_

"Oh, no." I let out a grim sigh. I remembered passing a room on the way to the Transept. In that room, I recalled seeing a well. And wells usually lead to water. _I'm going to have to _feed_ the water monster? Well, the note said that Tampter was the saliva of that fiend, so I guess that's my only choice._ Reluctantly, I made my way to the corridor with the well.

I walked in the darkness for what seemed like an eternity, doubt growing with each step. When I finally reached the room with the well, I peered inside, uncertain if I should go in or not. There was nothing to the area, just rocks, a wheel, and the well. A rope was suspended above the pit, and I carefully tied the piece of meat to it. I jumped when a growl echoed from the depths, but quickly calmed when I knew I was safe.

"Okay, let's see if this works…" I said aloud, making my way over to the wheel attached to a wooden pillar. I started spinning the wheel, watching as the rope lowered into the depths of the well. Instantly, something latched onto the rope, tugging and thrashing about. I stepped back, listening as the aquatic beast growled and snarled as it feasted on the meat. After a few minutes, things grew silent, and I reeled the rope in. There was nothing left but a bone, and I carefully untied it from the line.

"The only thing left is the vitae," I sighed. _But I think I'll leave that to Daniel and Isabelle. _Just as the two crossed my thoughts, I heard something stir in the hallway. I sat by the door, listening as the sound of footsteps grew louder and louder. I was about to step out, but Isabelle suddenly peered into the room. I let out a sigh of relief, noticing that my heart was pounding.

"What are you doing here?" I asked. She glared at me for a long time, her aqua eyes alive with enmity. She didn't answer, but only left the room and vanished into the darkness of the corridor. Bewildered, I stared at the shadows where she had disappeared. _Yeah, now I definitely know they are ignoring me. But I feel like I work better alone, so I don't really mind._

I re-entered the main section of the Nave, briefly glancing at Agrippa before sitting down on one of the boxes. I stayed there for what seemed like an eternity before I began to doze off. _I'm so tired…_ It wasn't long before I fell asleep.

But I wasn't asleep for long, for someone shoved me off of the box. I landed face-first on the dirty stone floor, moaning in protest.

"Now's not the time to be dozing off!" Daniel scolded, "We found the vitae, now let's get a move on."

"B-but I'm so comfortable…" I groaned, dragging myself off of the ground to face my friends. Daniel was grinning from ear-to-ear, pleased with his plan to wake me up. Isabelle's expression was callous, but I ignored her icy gaze.

"Where are we going now?" I asked, wiping the dirt and dust from my clothes. Daniel paused for a moment, thinking deeply.

"We can't do anything with the ingredients, since the laboratory is boarded up. My guess is that we return to the Chancel. There might be something there to help us gain access to the laboratory. Also, Isabelle and I didn't thoroughly explore it."

"But, didn't you an Isabelle run into some trouble there?" I asked, voice slightly quivering.

"Yeah, but I think it's safe now." Daniel said, but I could hear the doubt in his tone. "Come on, I think we're almost to the end of all of this."


	19. Capture

Chapter 18: Capture

My apprehension was growing as the three of us entered the Chancel. Who knows what could be waiting for us up there? Things had been _too_ calm lately, and I knew that something was about to happen. _Don't think like that! It'll only make things worse._

We remained silent as we descended up the staircase, pausing only when a door presented itself. Daniel hesitated, hand lingering inches from the handle. I noticed that Isabelle had grown pale, and she was visibly sweating. _What did they run into up here? I haven't seen them that nervous since the Prison…_ Daniel breathed in sharply before shoving open the door. I flinched, expecting to see the bladed demon waiting for us, but the only thing I could see were blue torches and an abnormally large door.

"Well, things seem alright." Isabelle let out a taut laugh. Daniel and I exchanged doubtful glances before stepping out into the open. Hesitating, I pulled back to stand in the doorway. _I don't like this place. There's something about it…_ I watched as my friends turned around the corner, and I was about to follow, but Isabelle suddenly let out a scream. She and Daniel came sprinting around the corner, and that's when I saw _three_ of the long-jawed monsters pursuing. The nearest one lashed out, landing a deep score on Daniel's back. He let out a scream and went down instantly, soon followed by Isabelle. I watched as the three beasts turned toward me, slowing their sprint to a saunter.

"Stop, demon!" I screamed. I was surprised when the monsters actually _did_ stop; they were caught off guard by my sudden outburst.

"I've had enough!" The three monsters stared at me for a moment longer, and suddenly, I regretted my outbreak. When the nearest one started breaking into a sprint, I whipped around and desperately bolted for the door. I was halfway down the staircase when I felt the beast's claws tear down my back. In shock and agony, I stumbled down the stairs. That's when everything went black.

I let out a moan, my mind a blur and my body aching. _What… happened?_ My head was throbbing, as if someone had smashed it into a wall. Over the ringing in my ears, I could barely hear hushed voices. _Who's there…? _

"Oh, he's awake!" A voice whispered. Suddenly, I could feel a presence at my side, but I was in too much misery to see _who._

"Felix," It was another voice this time, "Felix, you need to get up!" I let out a groan before rolling over, trying desperately to obey. _I can't, I'm hurting everywhere._ When the two realized I was refusing to move further, one of them grasped my shirt and hauled me to my feet. Instantly, I opened my eyes, only to see it was Daniel and Isabelle. I was relieved to see familiar faces, but when I noticed our surroundings, my relief evaporated.

We were in some sort of cell. It was much larger than the ones in the Prison and Nave, but it looked similar. There was a bedframe propped against the wall, along with a small table in the corner. Other than that, it was empty.

"W-where are we…?" I asked, wincing as my headache worsened.

"I don't know. All I remember is running into those monsters." Isabelle replied, glancing around the cell with eyes full of worry.

"Well, at least we aren't dead." Daniel reassured, but I could hear the panic in his voice. "But we have another problem: we're locked in."

"There has to be _some_ way out of here!" I protested. After some arguing, the three of us began searching the cell, frantically looking for anything that could aid our escape. I was growing more and more flustered by the minute, knowing that with each passing second, we were coming closer to a horrible demise.

"Wait, I found something!" Daniel exclaimed, and we rushed over to his side. The man was standing by the stone wall. "The stones are loose! I still have the hammer from the Prison, so maybe we can break down the wall."

"Well, hurry then!" Isabelle snapped. Daniel pounded relentlessly at the wall, breaking some of the stone, but not enough for us to slip through.

"Hey, there's something on the other side…" He observed, reaching through the small hole. "It's a wooden beam. Stand back, I'm going to see if it can break the wall."

Isabelle and I stepped back as Daniel pulled the wooden beam down, letting it crash through the wall and opening an escape route. We let out a sigh of relief.

"Come on, let's get a move on! Who knows when those monsters will come back?" Daniel said sternly, climbing through the hole and into the cell beyond. Luckily, this cage wasn't locked, and we exited the chambers with haste.

The room was full of cells. In the far corner was a door that led to an area beyond, but after some exploring, we found it to be locked. There was also a well in the center of the room, but we were dumbfounded by its use.

"Let's search each cell. The key might be in one of them." Daniel stated. We each picked an area to search, but after half an hour, all we had found was a bucket.

"It's useless, there's nothing in here." Isabelle sighed with irritation.

"No, there has to be! We can't give up." Daniel's voice was laced with desperation. _I just want to sit down until my headache goes away… Things are calm right now, so why can't we just rest? I'm so tired… And I'm sick of all of this! I didn't want _any_ of this! How did I wind up involved? I want to go home…_

"Wait, I found something!" Daniel exclaimed. He walked out of a cell, holding a note in his hands. "This note talks about a key being stuck in one of the pipes. Let's take a look."

Sure enough, there was an assortment of broken pipes by the locked door. I could even see the key lodged in the rusty metal.

"How do we get it out?" Isabelle inquired.

"Maybe we can flush it out?" I suggested, "Fill the bucket with water from the well and pour it into the pipe. It should dislodge the key."

Isabelle nodded, considering my idea. She walked over to the cell with the bucket, brought it over to the well, and attached it to the rope. I watched in silence as the woman lowered the bucket deeper into the well, stopping only when a faint splash could be heard. She quickly hoisted the bucket back up to the surface and unhooked it from the rope. Daniel took the water-filled bucket and poured the liquid down the pipe. Luckily, the key came flowing out the other end.

"Good thinking, Felix." Daniel praised, picking up the wet key off of the ground. He unlocked the heavy door, only to hesitate in pushing it open. I could hear a faint roar in the background, and I knew instantly what it was. _We should get going… I think that was the Shadow._

After a few more moments of doubt, Daniel finally opened the door. A long, misty corridor was what lay beyond, and I knew instantly that nothing good would come out of this. We shut the door behind us before setting off down the passage, tension high in the air. We were halfway down the corridor when the ground began to shake violently, an earsplitting roar echoing throughout the castle. The prison-like door behind us suddenly broke to pieces, a red mist seeping through the new entrance. Mounds of flesh began building up in the hall at an alarming rate.

"It's the Shadow!" Daniel screamed, but his voice was lost when the Guardian wailed. We took off down the corridor, slamming open the wooden door at the end with no hesitation. The ground kept trembling, making it almost impossible to stay balanced.

We bolted around the corner, only to see the next door was blocked off. We went to work, removing the debris obstructing our escape route. Daniel was on the verge of a breakdown, letting out a cry of panic each time the ground shook with devastating force.

When we cleared the door, I turned around, only to see the Shadow's residue building up meters away. Isabelle threw the door open, not wasting another second. The cosmic beast let out a roar of frustration, speeding up its pursuit as we narrowly escaped its grasp.

That's when we came to a decision. The corridor split into two directions: left or right. Without taking a moment to think, Daniel sprinted off to the right, only to let out a scream when rocks came crashing down in his path. He returned to our side in seconds, only to lead us down the other corridor. The trembles soon became more violent as we rushed down a staircase and into what looked like bloody water. _It's getting closer! Come on, come on! We can make it!_

The water slowed us down considerably, and I knew that if we didn't get out soon, it would prove fatal. We jumped through the liquid, seeing how it was the quickest option, and finally made it out of the water. The Shadow let out another heart stopping roar, but this time, it sounded _too_ close. We kept running through corridor after corridor, and I wondered how long we could keep our pace. My legs were on fire, and I knew I wouldn't last much longer. _We have to be close to safety!_ I prayed, throwing a look over my shoulder. The red mist was _right there_, mere meters from our fleeing forms.

"We're almost there!" Daniel let out a gasp as we turned a corner, only to see a massive staircase leading upward. There was a door at the top, and I knew it meant safety.

The Guardian let out one last shrill wail as we reached the top, frustrated by our getaway. Daniel slammed open the door, closed it behind us as we bolted inside, and collapsed onto the ground.

Isabelle and I fell as well, the three of us shaking uncontrollably._ That was too close…_ I thought before examining the room. The upper level of the Nave had been completely overrun by the Shadow, for the fleshy residue covered nearly every inch of the stone walls.

"C-come on, we s-should get going…" Isabelle stammered, climbing to her feet. She started to sway, as if the woman was about to fall.

"Isabelle, we need a break." I retorted, throwing a glance at Daniel. He was propped against the wall, quivering hysterically and mumbling to himself. I knew she wanted to protest, but I could see exhaustion in her aqua eyes. _We definitely need a break…_ I thought. I leaned against the wall, closing both eyes in an attempt to block out my headache.

"Felix, we need to get moving. We've been sitting here for a long time now, and I'm growing worried." It was Isabelle's voice. Timidly, I opened one eye, only to see the woman looming over me. With a sigh, I climbed to my feet.

"How's Daniel doing?" I asked.

"He could be better, but he's improved." Isabelle said bluntly, "We can't wait around any longer, though. We need to see if Agrippa is alright."

It took a few moments to convince Daniel to move. We slowly made our way to the spiral staircase that led to the lower section of the Nave, avoiding the mounds of pulsating residue. Every torch had been extinguished, making our descent down the massive staircase difficult. When we passed the gate at the bottom, I noticed that the laboratory was open. The once boarded up door had been thrown from its hinges, allowing access to the small room beyond.

"Maybe we can make Weyer's tonic?" Isabelle said, but her voice was muted, as if she were talking to herself. We entered the laboratory, but instantly I was confused. There were three tables and a collapsed bookshelf. On the tables were all sorts of strange devices, and I knew of none of their purposes.

I pulled out the sticky bone before setting it on one of the tables. Daniel set the poison gland next to the bone, soon followed by Isabelle putting a glass jar full of blood in the center.

"Okay, let's make this quick." Daniel stated. He grasped the bloodied jar before setting it on what looked like a burner. The man pulled the wheel not far away and watched as a small flame flickered to life. The red liquid soon came to a boil, and surprisingly, turned a pasty white. Daniel picked up the jar and set it beneath what looked like a tube.

"Put the bone in there, Felix." He said, pointing to some sort of metal box. I obeyed, placing the bone inside the chamber and pulling the lever attached to the side. After a few brief moments, a small stream of green liquid dripped into the jar, turning the pasty white to a pale emerald.

Isabelle placed the poison gland in some sort of grinder. I placed the jar beneath the device, and watched silently as she spun some sort of lever. The poison gland burst and began leaking into the jar.

"I think it's complete!" Isabelle exclaimed, triumph flashing in her eyes. Daniel let out a small sigh of relief, probably thankful that it wasn't _too_ difficult to make.

"Come on, we need to check on Agrippa."


	20. Decapitation

Chapter 19: Decapitation

Agrippa was fine, if you didn't notice that he was completely surrounded by the Shadow's residue. The whole lower section of the Nave had been overrun; almost every section of wood and stone covered in the red flesh. It took some major maneuvering to reach the bottom of the stairs.

"Oh, I thought I lost you!" Agrippa sighed with relief as we reached the last few steps, "I heard the Chancel collapse earlier and thought you three were caught in the disaster."

"Well, we're alright," Daniel said nervously, "Or I hope we are."

"Anyway," I started, "We completed the tonic you were asking for." I glanced at the jar Daniel was holding, wondering slightly what it was used for.

"You did? Thank goodness." Agrippa said, "Now, pay attention. First, feed me the tonic. Then, use the saw from the next room to remove my head."

"Wait, _what?_" Isabelle exclaimed, taking a slight step back.

"As the tonic begins to work, you'll be able to cut off my head without taking my life. Then take my head and bring it with you as you enter the gate Alexander is opening in the Inner Sanctum."

"You're… kidding, right?" I asked, letting out a taut laugh. Daniel cast a worried glance in my direction.

"Let's just get the saw." He said before turning to the left. That's when I noticed that the whole wall had been torn down, allowing access to a hidden room beyond.

We climbed through the tunnel with ease, slowing only to avoid a mound of the Shadow's fleshy residue. The new room proved to be nothing special. There were two shelves on the opposite sides of the area, a locked door to the front, and a few boxes scattered across the ground. I spotted the saw on the far shelf.

Daniel sauntered over and picked up the device before we made our way back to Agrippa. None of us were eager to feed the man the tonic, but finally, Isabelle gave it to him. He sipped at the green liquid for a few moments before pulling away.

"Now, off with the head!" He demanded. I looked away when Daniel reached for the saw and focused elsewhere. But my attempt to block out the gruesome event was destroyed when Agrippa started screaming. After a few moments of nothing but the man's screams, everything grew silent. I turned around, only to see Daniel picking up Agrippa's head.

"That's foul," I mused.

"He wanted us to do it." Daniel replied flatly.

"Well, um, let's just get going." Isabelle said quietly.

It didn't take long for us to re-enter the Chancel, but this time, we were more cautious in our ascent up the staircase. Isabelle peered around the corner where the three monsters first appeared from, making sure everything was safe this time.

"It's all clear." She whispered. I let out a vague sigh of relief before setting off toward the long walkway. _I actually never got a good look at this place…_ I pondered, eyeing the strange architecture.

There were four long paths intersecting each other, greenish-blue torches attached to the stone rails. We seemed to be suspended in air, for when I looked over the railing, I couldn't see anything but mist. _We better be careful, then._ I thought before focusing my attention on the rest of the large area. One of the walkways had collapsed in the center, but everything else seemed relatively intact. I was about to speak when something moved.

On the right walkway, I could see the bladed monster heading into a room. The three of us froze, listening as its haunting wail echoed through the Chancel. When it vanished from view, Daniel spoke.

"I think we have to head in there," He whispered.

"Are you mad?" Isabelle snapped, "There's no way in hell I'd go in there with a _demon._" I stared at the door for another moment before turning my attention to my friends.

"Maybe we can lure it out of the room?" I suggested, "Or we can just go forward and see what's in there first."

"Let's go forward, first." Daniel agreed. Isabelle remained silent as we traveled across the walkway, avoiding the piles of Shadow residue with careful movements. We reached the door in little time.

"Okay, be careful." Daniel whispered, letting his hand rest on the doorknob. Isabelle and I nodded, and the man opened the door.

I didn't know whether to be surprised or relieved when the only interesting thing in the room was a barrier of electricity. To the left was some sort of pedestal with a spherical top. Candles lit the room, but the barrier provided most of the glow.

"It's all coming back to me…" Daniel whispered mostly to himself.

"So, do you know what to do?" I asked, throwing a questioning glance in his direction.

"Yes, actually." He replied, "We assemble the Orb in that pedestal, and it should weaken the barrier. But I think we need to stop the machinery to get through safely."

"And let me guess: the machinery is in the room where the monster went." Isabelle let out an exasperated sigh when Daniel nodded. _Great, just great. I wonder how we'll lure it out, though._ We stayed silent until we reached the last remaining door.

"Okay, we need a plan." Daniel stated, "Any ideas?"

"Maybe we can get it to fall off of the broken walkway?" Isabelle suggested with a shrug.

"But how?" I questioned.

"One of us can stand near the ledge where the ground breaks off. The other two knock on the door to catch its attention. When the monster comes to investigate, it'll see the person standing near the ledge and go running after. That's when you jump out of the way and it'll fall off into the abyss!" Isabelle said, obviously proud of her plan.

"But what if you don't jump quickly enough?" I inquired, "Or it sees through your trick?"

"Quit being a pessimist, Felix." Daniel scolded, "Her plan sounds as good as any. Let's give it a try."

"I'll stand near the ledge," Isabelle stated before sauntering away. _She's going to get killed…_ I thought, watching the woman vanish from view. Daniel climbed onto a column near the door where he was out of reach.

"Get up here!" He snapped, and I crawled up next to the man. When we were all situated, Daniel reached down and tapped on the door. It didn't take long until a vicious blade began slashing through the door. I recoiled, desperately hoping that this "brilliant" plan of Isabelle's would work.

The monster finished demolishing the door and stood in the debris, glancing around in confusion. I held my breath, hoping that the beast wouldn't turn around and spot me and Daniel. I _almost_ felt relief when it spotted Isabelle.

The metallic demon let out a grunt of satisfaction before charging off toward the woman. _Please, please let her plan work… Don't die on us now!_

Daniel and I exchanged worried glances as the monster left our view. We waited silently, listening for any sounds that would tell us what was going on. After a couple agonizing minutes, Isabelle came strolling down the walkway.

Daniel slid down from the column and bolted over to the woman. I followed more slowly, happy but not eager to re-group.

"I think we can travel more safely," Isabelle said triumphantly as I came into earshot. Daniel was smiling with respite.

"Come on," I interrupted, "We need to stop the machinery." The two seemed eager to progress as we entered the room. There was a desk with a note, a shelf with something interesting in it, a bunch of rusty cogwheels in the corner, and a staircase that lead down. I could hear the loud sound of working machinery coming from down the stairs, and I knew that's where we had to go.

The gate at the bottom of the steps had been completely destroyed. _I guess that's where the monster came from._ The sound of machinery was almost deafening as I entered the room. More pipes ran throughout the area, some leaking oil. In the back was the machine, but it didn't look old like the rest of the castle. _Daniel said we have to stop this to weaken that electric barrier. Maybe we can jam it?_

I looked around the floor, hoping to find some sort of stone or a large object to throw in the cogwheels. When nothing seemed useable, I went back upstairs with Daniel and Isabelle.

"Hey, Felix." Daniel greeted, "Did you stop the machine?"

"No, I need something to jam it with. There's nothing down there that's big enough." I replied quietly.

"There are some rocks over there that could do the trick." Isabelle piped in, "Also, Daniel and I found some tar that might help in assembling the Orb."

"That's good." I replied flatly, bending over to pick up a medium-sized stone. _This should be big enough._ I thought before returning to the machine. With a grunt, I tossed the stone into the turning gears, only to be thrown back when it practically exploded.

The cogwheels were damaged and unmoving. _Okay then, we should go see if the barrier is gone._ I was about to head back up, but Isabelle's sudden scream caught me off guard. The two came bolting down into the machine room, panic clear in their eyes.

"W-what's wrong?" I asked, following the two as they hid behind some pipes.

"There's _another_ monster!" Isabelle stammered, fear lacing her tone.

"But I thought you lured it off the edge?" I questioned, lowering my voice.

"I _did!_" Isabelle snapped, "But suddenly, after you stopped the machine, another one came bursting through the door."

"Will you two be quiet?" Daniel hissed. I glared at the man for a moment before staying silent, listening carefully for the monster. I could hear the metallic scrapes and clicks that the beast made, but they were faint and off in the distance. After a few agonizing minutes, everything grew silent.

"I think it's gone," Isabelle breathed. I stood up, grateful to leave the cramped hiding place. We ascended up the staircase, slowing only when we neared the top. The room was empty, but there was no door to provide concealment.

"It's safe now," Daniel said, "We need to go back to the barrier." We nodded and followed the man across the long walkways. When we neared the door that led into the room with the electricity, I noticed that the sound of the barrier had waned. When I opened the door, the barrier _was_ less threatening.

"Isabelle, give me the tar." Daniel demanded, walking over to the spherical pedestal. Isabelle handed him the small bucket, and I watched as he poured the black substance in the plinth. That's when he pulled out the shards we had collected earlier. I gave him mine and Isabelle gave him hers. The man went to work, assembling the pieces in the spherical top. It didn't take long for Daniel to finish, and when he did, a blue light shimmered from the weakened electricity. The light made its way over to the now completed Orb, and suddenly, the barrier vanished.

"You did it!" Isabelle exclaimed. Daniel smiled weakly before turning to the passage. I could see a door at the end of the new walkway, and knew instantly nothing good would come out of this. And, of course, I was right.

When we were about halfway down the path, the Shadow let out a reverberating roar, and we bolted for the door.


	21. The Inner Sanctum

Chapter 20: The Inner Sanctum

We stood at the top of the stairs, gazing into the dark depths below. Despite the candles lining the wall, it was impossible to see what lay at the bottom of the steps. The Shadow had given up when we burst through the door, but I knew it was waiting for another chance to strike. That's why we were all hesitant to move from our position. Finally, Daniel broke the eerie silence.

"I know you don't want to, but we have to keep moving. We're almost to Alexander!" He added, trying to sound hopeful. Isabelle cast a quick glance at the man before taking a step down the stairs. She tensed up, as if expecting the Shadow to roar angrily in the distance, but everything remained hushed. She was about three steps down before I began to follow, soon accompanied by Daniel. The atmosphere remained apprehensive, each of us listening for any sounds that meant danger was imminent.

"I think it's all good-," Isabelle's voice was lost when the ground shook violently, the Shadow's roar shrill and adjacent. We didn't hesitate further, instantly bolting down the stairs and into the shadowy depths. The ground trembled and quaked, signaling that the invisible Guardian was giving chase.

"There, through the door!" Daniel shrieked. We sprinted through an open archway and into a room with four pillars. On one of the pillars was a lever, and Isabelle pulled it down sharply. A door slid from the archway, stopping the Shadow in its path. The cosmic beast let out a cry of frustration, shaking the castle pugnaciously, but quieted down after a few moments.

"T-that was close…" Daniel panted, staring at the lever. I paused, taking a moment to view my new surroundings. There was a large, strangely decorated door to our front. To my right and left were new doors, but they hadn't been there before. _They must've opened when Isabelle pulled the lever… I guess that's where we have to go. That large door looks far too heavy to open._ I nudged Daniel before sauntering over to the left, but hesitated slightly in the doorway. There was a table lined against the wall, books and paper scattered across in one big mess. To the right was what looked like an altar. A small "table" with strange carvings above it stood in the center. Half-melted candles lined the stone, but in the center was what looked like a spike. Below the spike was a miniscule hole, and I knew instantly that it was meant to hold blood.

"Hey, Daniel?" I called out, "Do you know what this is for?"

"Hmm?" He walked over to my side, narrowing his emerald eyes to examine the device. "I'm not entirely sure. But I guess it has something to do with that marking on the ground."

"What marking?" I inquired. He grabbed my wrist and dragged me to the opposite side of the room. On the ground was an abnormal drawing, but above it was something stranger. What looked like a circle was carved into the pale stone, strange lines and other peculiar things etched inside.

"Where's Isabelle?" I asked, "Maybe she can figure out what to do."

"No, I don't think we need her." Daniel said flatly, his attention focused on the strange carvings engraved into all the walls and above the altar, "I think we have to give blood."

"Really?" I questioned. I wasn't too fond of that idea, but it seemed like the only reasonable thought at the moment. Daniel stalked over to the "table" with the melted candle, quickly cutting his finger on the spike. His blood started dripping into the cavity, and he started to stagger. After a few moments of trying regaining balance, Daniel clumsily walked over to the marking on the ground. I watched in silence as he stood in the center, and soon, the carvings above the "table" started to glow a dim red.

"Is that it?" I asked, watching the man carefully.

"I think you have to do the same." He replied.

I didn't protest, but only repeated Daniel's actions, wincing slightly as the spike pricked my finger.

"Now stand on the marking." Daniel ordered. I obeyed, staggering over to the abnormal drawing and stood in place for a few seconds.

"I-is that all…?" I asked, voice quivering.

"Yeah, I think so." The man replied quietly, "But we need to make sure Isabelle did the same." We found the woman in the opposite room, admiring the architecture with curious eyes. She didn't notice when we entered the room, and when Daniel spoke, she nearly fainted.

"Don't sneak up on me like that!" She snapped, the fear slowly fading from her aqua eyes. I couldn't help but grin at her reaction, but it quickly dwindled. Daniel went to work, explaining to the angry woman about the blood offering and the strange markings. She listened intently, eyes widening with slight anxiety when he mentioned the spike, but didn't protest when Daniel guided her over to the altar. I stood in the doorway, watching silently as she went through with the strange ritual.

"Hey, Felix? We have to do it again in here," Daniel stated with a sigh. We repeated our actions, all three of us scrambling to stand on the marking. It took a few minutes for the stone to turn its dim red.

"Okay, Isabelle." I stated, "You have to go into the other room and do the same things. Then, if what Daniel said is correct, that big fancy door should open." The woman nodded vaguely before leaving the room. I turned to Daniel, but froze when I saw him lurch forward, almost falling face-first onto the stone ground.

"Hey, what's wrong?" I questioned, concern lacing my tone.

"I-I think I gave too much blood," he stammered before propping himself against the wall, "But I should be fine in a few minutes. Just let me sit down… You should go see if Isabelle is d-done."

"You sure…?" I pressed, unsure if I should leave the unsteady man alone. He nodded slowly, wincing as if the small gesture had hurt. Reluctantly, I followed after Isabelle, pausing when I found her sitting by the table with the mess of papers.

"F-Felix? Is that you?" She asked, turning around. When I saw the tears swimming in her aqua eyes, I instantly grew worried.

"What's wrong? Did something happen?" I fretted, but she shook her head.

"I think you should take a look at this…" The woman held up a wrinkled piece of paper, and I gingerly reached for it. As I began to read, I quickly realized that _Daniel_ had written this. Anger was clear in his printing, and it talked about how he was manipulated by Alexander into murdering innocents and how he was forced into facing the Shadow alone.

"We have to forgive him, Felix…" Isabelle whispered, and I knew she was mentioning our torture. I nodded absently, attention focused on the livid note, but it was soon directed elsewhere when a large crash sounded from the main room. _What was th-_ my thoughts were cut off abruptly when I heard Daniel's scream. But it wasn't a scream of agony; it was more like a scream of pure terror. Bewildered, stunned, and horrified, I bolted into the main room, only to freeze as I realized it had been completely overrun by the Shadow's residue. Isabelle was at my side in an instant, a gasp escaping her mouth as she surveyed the scene.

But I instantly snapped out of my daze when I saw Daniel lying in an abnormally large pile of fleshy residue, his arms and legs almost completely submerged in the slime. My eyes widened, and my blood ran cold. Isabelle and I bolted over to the man, who was passed out, and grasped onto a limb.

"Felix, we have to get him out now! T-the Shadow will kill him if we don't!" The woman barked, throwing a frantic glance in my direction. Her voice awoke the man, who let out a scream when he realized where he was. Daniel's emerald eyes were a collage of emotions: frustration, shock, fear, and pain. I began pulling on his leg in a desperate attempt to loosen it from the residue's iron grip.

"G-get me out! Get me o-out now!" He begged, voice rising with terror. Isabelle and I pulled harder, but our attempts were vain: he wasn't going anywhere.

"I-Isabelle! He's impossible to get out!" I gasped, eyes darting from the man, to the slime, and then to Isabelle.

"Please, please keep tryi-," Daniel's voice was cut off when he let out a yelp, a sudden splotch of blood appearing on his vest. I paused for a moment, bewildered, but then instantly realized what was going on: the Shadow was beginning to attack.

I grabbed onto his leg again and gave a violent tug, loosening the limb slightly. The movement angered the Guardian, for more and more cuts began appearing on the man's vulnerable body. He started writhing in the fleshy pile, teeth clenched from the pain. Concern pricked at my heart as the trapped man let out another hiss of pain, blood dripping from a cut on his face.

That's when he screamed.

His sudden loud, horrifying shriek echoed throughout the area, causing Isabelle and I to pull harder. His shirt tore open, a massive laceration revealing itself. Blood poured from the wound quickly, spilling all over the ground and staining the man's clothes further. At that moment, though, Isabelle had managed to pull his left arm from the residue's grip. Despite his weakened state, Daniel used his free arm to try and pry his other limbs from the flesh. _He's almost out!_

I didn't know whether to be confused or scared when a large cut unexpectedly appeared on my arm, a think trickle of scarlet liquid dripping from it. When I looked over, Isabelle had a similar injury on her cheek. It's attacking us!

I wanted to run, but I couldn't leave Daniel. He had released his other arm, but the man was bleeding heavily from several deep wounds. I kept working at his leg, panting when exhaustion began to creep into my body. The man kept screaming and yelling, and I didn't stop until I almost had the limb free.

I stopped instantly when a large, stinging wound tore open on my back. I stumbled backward, caught off guard by the sudden surge of agony lancing up my spine.

At that point, Daniel was able to drag himself toward safety, but not after the Shadow landed one more horrific wound on his body. He collapsed onto the clear ground, shaking violently and coughing up more blood. Daniel was horrifically injured, deep wounds on almost every inch of his body. His emerald eyes were glazed over in misery, his form giving an occasional twitch. Isabelle went to work, tearing off some of her dress to use as bandages. I watched silently as she patched the man up, wincing as the wound on my back began to sting more. When Isabelle was done, she carefully set the injured Daniel against the wall where he could rest.

"Felix?" She called out, sauntering over to me, "We can't go anywhere until Daniel is fit enough to move."

"I know that…" I replied tiredly, casting a quick glance in our companion's direction. He was still, almost lifeless, but I could see the faint rise and fall of his chest.

"We could all use a rest anyway."

I wasn't sure how long we had been lying on the ground, but all I know is that Isabelle's gentle touch snapped me out of my daze. She helped me to my feet, both of us wincing as the sudden movement aggravated our injuries.

"I know Daniel isn't doing well at all but we have to get moving. I'm afraid of what'll happen if we stay here too long…" Isabelle said in a hushed tone. I glanced around the room, panicking when I didn't see the injured man anywhere. But my dread was short-lived, for I saw him propped up against a pillar. Isabelle and I sauntered over to him, carefully avoiding the vicious piles of residue. His eyes were closed, and I was afraid that he had died, but I could soon see the faint rise-and-fall of his chest. One of his emerald eyes opened when Isabelle and I stood to his front.

"Daniel?" The woman said quietly, "We need to start moving…" His only response was a groan.

"I know it's painful for you to move, but if we stay here any longer, the Shadow is going to catch up." I stated flatly. Instantly, the man attempted to climb to his feet, only to falter and fall back to the ground. Isabelle leaned forward and helped the injured man to his feet, carefully guiding him around the pulsating flesh. The door with the intricate designs had lifted, revealing a long hallway with many columns lining the walls. Unsteadily and uncertainly, we traveled through the dark corridor, pausing now and then to let Daniel catch his breath. His wounds had stopped bleeding, but each injury looked just as painful as they did earlier. _He hasn't improved at all… I hope we're almost finished with our journey, because I doubt _any_ of us can continue much longer._

Isabelle was stumbling with each step, exhaustion creeping into her movements. Daniel's eyes were barely open, and he whimpered as every stride sent pain coursing through his body. My old shoulder injury had slowly begun to ache, causing an uncomfortable but painless feeling.

When we reached the massive, decorative door at the end of the long hall, all of us froze up. _This is it? Isn't it?_ Daniel and I exchanged worried glances before I reached out and rested my hand on the ingress. Taking a deep breath, I opened it.

We stood in the doorway, enthralled by the scene. Three massive stone pillars rose from the ground, surrounding some strange device in the center of the room. On top of the pillars were eccentric lavender lights that streamed toward the apparatus. At the back of the room was a wall of blue flame that encircled a platform. But what amazed me most were the _floating_ rocks above us. They were slowly spinning in a circle, some moving faster than others. But my fascination was soon interrupted, for a _very_ familiar voice shattered the silence.

"I was wondering if you were going to show up." Alexander said flatly, his deep voice echoing throughout the whole chamber. Instantly, our attention was focused on the man who was behind the wall of azure flame. I couldn't see well, but he looked _blue_.

"I see Agrippa convinced you to run some errands. Tell me, is everything nice and clear now? Am I the villain? Good and evil. Such comforting concepts- but hardly applicable."

"Daniel, what do we do…?" I whispered to the man, who seemed to be transfixed with Alexander's words.

"Are you so blind that you see no good in me? Or evil in Agrippa?" Alexander's voice trailed off, and I nudged Daniel. He let out a small hiss of pain, and I threw him an apologetic glance. Turning around, I saw that Isabelle's aqua gaze was focused on the pillars, examining them with intensity. _Why won't someone do something? We can't just stand around!_ My thoughts suddenly became more frantic, pondering the outcomes of any possible decisions.

"Daniel?" I asked again, finally catching the injured man's attention, "What do we do?" He stared at me with drained eyes before opening his mouth to speak.

"I'm not sure… Agrippa wanted us to throw his head into the portal when it opens, so should we wait for that?" He answered, emerald eyes flickering around the room with curiosity. _It sounds like a good idea, but how long do we have to wait? I'm not comfortable with just standing around! We need to act _now.

"Any other options?" I pressed, trying to subdue my grim thoughts.

"We could knock down the pillars; they seem quite unsteady." Isabelle piped in, her voice causing me to jump slightly. "The lights on top of the columns seem to be what's opening the portal that Agrippa mentioned. If we can push them over, perhaps we can stop the process?"

"That's a brilliant plan, Isabelle!" I praised, eliciting a triumphant grin from the woman. Daniel didn't protest, but half the reason was because the man looked ready to fall over. I could see Alexander watching the three of us from behind the flame wall, face expressionless, as we positioned ourselves behind a pillar.

The floating rocks were beginning to spin faster and faster, causing one of the pillars to shudder. _The portal is starting to open! We need to push these over now._

As if the man had heard my thoughts, Daniel gave a frantic shove, the pylon falling over with ease. It hit the ground with a loud _crash_, the lurid noise echoing in the chamber.

"No, don't do that!" Alexander snapped. _Then get down here and stop us…_ I mocked silently, resting one hand on the dirty pillar. Isabelle was right: these were on the verge of falling over themselves.

I began to hesitate, wondering vaguely what would happen when we knocked down all three, but when my pillar gave a violent shudder, I didn't vacillate further. I watched, satisfied, as the pylon crashed onto the stone ground.

"Stop, you are ruining it!" Alexander screeched, "We are so close, I beg you!" His pleas were soon lost when Isabelle's pillar fell.

"No, you fools! You killed us- you killed all of us!" He screamed, and I instantly believed him when something started pounding on the large door behind us. The Shadow's shrill cry filled the chamber, its residue overwhelming the entire room. Daniel let out a yelp of terror, trying desperately to avoid the massive piles of red tissue. Alexander started shrieking, fear and agony clear in his voice. I could see his form thrashing about, as if attempting to dislodge some invisible foe. _The Shadow's attacking him!_

Isabelle was standing on top of one of the fallen pillars, feverishly trying to avoid contact with the Guardian's fleshy piles. Daniel was cowering in the far corner, while I stood in the very center, watching in stunned silence as Alexander's form began to dissipate. His body vanished within seconds, leaving behind nothing but a wisp of smoke and an echo of his cries. I suddenly grew petrified, knowing that the Shadow was in the same room with us, and I waited mutely for it to start attacking. But, when the residue slowly withdrew from the room, my eye's widened in bewilderment, but also relief.

_W-why is it leaving? Surely it would've killed us… I mean, we're right here!_ I thought, confusion gripping my mind. _Did we do it? Is that it? _Many thoughts were blossoming in my head, but one stood out the most: were we done?

I turned to my friends, who looked just as puzzled as I was. Daniel was still in the corner, shakily climbing to his feet. Isabelle jumped off of the fallen pylon, landing soundlessly on the stone ground. We exchange stunned glances, occasionally throwing a glance at the platform where Alexander once stood, as if expecting the man to reappear. Daniel opened his mouth, attempting to form words, but nothing came out. Seconds turned to minutes, and finally, one of us spoke.

"I-is that it? C-c-can we go home now…?" Isabelle asked, voice quivering excitably. Daniel's tired emerald eyes stared at the woman, clouded with an abundance of thoughts. That's when I noticed how beaten and worn the man was.

An assortment of wounds and bruises lined is exposed flesh, his vest torn from the Shadow's previous attacks. The claw marks on his arm and the deep gash on his leg had begun to bleed, crimson liquid dripping onto the floor. Both legs were slightly trembling, as if they could no longer support his weight, and I could almost feel the exhaustion radiating from his movements.

Isabelle looked no better: her dress was ripped near the bottom, dirt and dust staining the scarlet fabric. The lacerations on her arms looked ready to bleed, and the she had difficulty standing. She stumbled slightly, fatigue beginning to cripple the woman.

My shoulder was throbbing intensely, the old wound threatening to reopen. My head was pounding, and my vision was beginning to blur._ I sure hope we're finished here… I've never been this exhausted… I doubt _any_ of us can continue much longer._

"Y-yeah, we can go home…" Daniel said with a small smile.

The air was crisp and cold, the sky darkening as twilight descended over the forest. The three of us remained silent as we followed the stony trail that lead to the nearest town, refusing to look at the castle. We had to retrace our steps to leave the hellhole behind, passing through familiar places like the Sewers, the Cellar Archives (which was free of water demons) and the Entrance Hall. It didn't take long until we were standing in the cold breeze, lost in thought and too stunned to say a word. In fact, none of us had said anything since the Inner Sanctum, and I wondered vaguely what was going through my friends' heads.

I kept my eyes fixated on the trail, avoiding anyone's gaze. It was hard to look at my two companions, for I knew that once we reached the village, we would never see each other again. _I guess I've grown attached…_ I thought with a small laugh. _Who would've thought that I'd actually grow close to someone…?_

The silence was interrupted when Daniel suddenly burst out: "Look, I can see the village from here!"

The three of us paused, staring at the twinkling lights and small moving figures. It was still a couple of miles, but we would make it in no time.

We gazed for a few more moments, all of us eager to get back home. Well, I knew _my_ house was in that village, but I wasn't sure about my companions. I shook the thoughts aside and continued down the trail, hesitating now and then when I saw the forest shadows begin to dance. _It's almost as creepy as Brennenburg…_ I thought grimly, focusing my whole attention on the distant town. _I wonder how I'll say goodbye…_

Isabelle was on the verge of tears as I broke away from her embrace, whispering a quick farewell. Daniel had already left, vanishing into the crowd of people within seconds. Isabelle had refused to leave so quickly, and as each moment dragged by, I was growing guiltier. _I don't want to go… I doubt I'll see them again…_

"F-Felix? We have to keep in touch, all three of us." The woman said with a sniff, and I nodded eagerly. We shared a few more words before Isabelle then turned and left, casting one last glance in my direction.

Just like that, both of my friends were gone.

Just like that, the only two people I cared about were out of my life.

And as I watched her vanish into the crowd, I couldn't help but think one simple thing: Am I still getting executed?

~End


End file.
